The first independent shuttle buses will depart from Belval Station

In answer to a parliamentary question, the Minister for Mobility and Public Works specified that future CFL autonomous shuttle buses would begin in September by connecting Belval Station to the university and high school.

In testing phase from mid-March on two closed sites, at the IEE in Bessen and at the CFL intermodal station in Bettembourg-Dudelange, the first route of autonomous shuttles is planned. Once approval has been received from Luxcontrol, they will leave Belval station in September 2023. This was announced by François Bausch, Minister of Mobility and Public Works, in his answer to the parliamentary question posed by Chantal Garry.

MP (déi gréng) wanted to learn more about the implementation of these buses from New Zealand company HMI Technologies. She also wanted to know what kinds of trips these shuttles already make abroad and where they will be deployed in the Grand Duchy.

“Scientific test” in Belval

In his reply, François Bausch specified that the first shuttle buses would connect Belleval station to the university, high school and, possibly in a second phase, to the retirement home. “These projects categorized as ‘scientific testing’ will be carried out with a driver on board.”

The purpose of this service is to provide more mobility to CFL customers. It can help them cover the last few kilometers between an interchange and a specific point of interest such as a hospital, retirement home, school, shopping mall, etc.

European debut in Luxembourg

Called Ohmio, these buses are already in operation in Sejong, South Korea, and are operated by KOTI, the Korea Transportation Institute. On this site, a delegation from Luxembourg went, in November 2022 as part of the last economic mission to South Korea, to discover this technology.

In New Zealand, a shuttle bus operates on routes within Christchurch Airport
and inside Paerata Rise, a new smart village on the outskirts of Auckland. In addition, the Umeå Shuttle Bus operates on the La Trobe University routes in Melbourne.

In the wake of Luxembourg, other European countries, such as Finland and the United Kingdom, have also taken interest in these shuttle buses. The company will use its new European base at Automobility’s Bessen campus to develop opportunities
Trade and identify future opportunities across Europe. HMI Technologies also intends to join forces with other players in Luxembourg and integrate different standardization organizations in order to “develop and consolidate technical expertise”.