Overview
- Mapping begins on a downtown route between Leuven Station and Heverlee to prepare the corridor for autonomous operations.
- Public road testing is expected in mid-September with a safety officer on board during the initial phase.
- Subject to successful tests and approval from the Public Department of Mobility and Transport, De Lijn plans a pilot from mid-November through late January 2026 with digital-ticket boarding.
- Organizers say the service would become Belgium’s first commercial autonomous deployment in mixed traffic if authorized.
- The initiative is backed by EIT Urban Mobility after a year-long training program for De Lijn and Espaces-Mobilités, and it marks WeRide’s 11th market following deployments in France, Switzerland and Spain.