Shanghai (Gasgoo)- On September 11, Chinese autonomous driving technology company WeRide announced that its Robobus has entered service in Leuven, Belgium, marking the company's expansion into its 11th overseas market. Following France, Spain, and Switzerland, the move further strengthens WeRide's European footprint.
The pilot project is being carried out in collaboration with Flemish public transport operator De Lijn, the City of Leuven, and mobility consultancy firm Espaces-Mobilités.
The Robobus will begin route preparation between Leuven Station and Heverlee, a corridor that cuts through the city center and connects major transport hubs—an environment typical of Belgium's dense urban traffic. Public road testing is scheduled to start in mid-September with a safety operator on board. Pending approval from national transport authorities, De Lijn plans to launch a trial operation between November 2025 and January 2026. If successful, it would mark Belgium's first commercial deployment of autonomous vehicles in a mixed-traffic setting, with passengers able to book rides via mobile apps, text messaging, or subscription services.
Following the pilot, WeRide's Robobus could be incorporated into Leuven's permanent public transport network, addressing the "last mile" challenge in urban mobility. The long-term goal is to move toward fully driverless operations, enhancing both the efficiency and safety of Belgium's city transit systems.
WeRide CFO and Head of International Operations Li Xuan described the Belgium launch as a strategic step in the company's global expansion. He highlighted Europe's strong public investment and clear commercial pathways as making it a pivotal market for autonomous vehicles, while pointing to Belgium's role as a mobility innovation hub. Li emphasized the importance of partnering with De Lijn, Espaces-Mobilités, and the Leuven city government to scale autonomous services across Europe with the ultimate aim of fully driverless operations.
The pilot is supported by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) Urban Mobility program, an EU initiative focused on advancing sustainable transport through close public-private collaboration.
Belgium has made autonomous mobility a national priority, advancing smart city planning, investing in intelligent transport solutions, and shaping regulatory frameworks to enable adoption. Leuven, the country's oldest university town located 30 kilometers east of Brussels, was selected as the pilot site due to its strategic position and ongoing innovation projects such as FlexCURB, which uses digital tools to optimize curbside space and ensure the safe integration of driverless shuttles into wider transport networks.
Beyond Belgium, WeRide is accelerating expansion elsewhere in Europe. In August, its Robotaxi service began mapping routes in Zurich's Furttal region, Aargau's Wettingen, and Killwangen as part of Switzerland's Intelligent Automated Mobility pilot project. Earlier in February, the company, in partnership with Renault Group, French operator beti, and insurer Macif, launched Europe's first fully driverless Robobus service on public roads in Drôme, France.
