WeRide, a Chinese autonomous driving tech company, has launched its Robobus service in Leuven, Belgium, marking its 11th international market, with a pilot running through January 2026 to enhance first- and last-mile transit.

This Robobus initiative is part of a broader European expansion, including route mapping in Zurich, Switzerland, and the launch of Europe's first fully driverless Robobus in Drôme, France, in partnership with Renault, beti, and Macif.

The Leuven Robobus pilot, supported by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology's Urban Mobility program, involves collaboration with local partners like De Lijn and the City of Leuven, aiming to integrate autonomous shuttles into the city’s public transport network.

Public road testing of the Leuven Robobus began in mid-September with a safety operator onboard, with plans to move to a trial operation between November 2025 and January 2026, subject to regulatory approval.

If successful, the project could lead to Belgium's first commercial deployment of autonomous vehicles in mixed traffic, allowing passengers to book rides via mobile apps or subscriptions, and potentially become a permanent part of Leuven’s transit system.

Meanwhile, a new study confirms that battery electric vehicles now have the lowest lifetime carbon emissions across all U.S. counties, outperforming hybrids, plug-in hybrids, and gasoline cars, thanks to grid decarbonization and efficiency improvements.

In the realm of urban mobility, Amazon's Zoox has launched its first public robotaxi service on the Las Vegas Strip, featuring fully autonomous, purpose-built electric vehicles designed for city environments.

A recent peer-reviewed study links over 200 heatwaves since 2000 to human-caused climate change, with emissions from major fossil fuel and cement companies responsible for more than half, highlighting the urgent need for corporate accountability.

The rapid growth of EV infrastructure is evident as the UK, Netherlands, and California now have more public charging ports than gas pumps, signaling a significant shift toward electric mobility.

India's middle class faces hurdles in adopting EVs due to high import costs, limited charging infrastructure, and range anxiety, although local models like Tata Motors' are more affordable compared to Tesla's Model Y.

In sustainable aviation, JetZero's Z4 hydrogen aircraft, developed with SHZ Advanced Technologies, aims to achieve zero-emission long-haul flights for 250 passengers over 9,000 km using cryogenic liquid hydrogen and a blended-wing design.

Small modular reactors (SMRs) face significant challenges, including high costs and waste management issues, with some designs producing substantially more waste per unit of energy and limited commercial deployment.

Belgium’s strategic focus on autonomous mobility is supported by its smart city initiatives, with Leuven positioned as a key pilot site for testing and potentially deploying autonomous shuttle services in urban environments.