23/07/2025
NI's First Self-Driving Vehicle Launches In Belfast's Titanic Quarter
The Harlander, an eight-seater autonomous shuttle, has officially begun its pilot operation in Belfast's Titanic Quarter.
Launched on Tuesday, 22 July 2025, the vehicle is providing a free "last mile connectivity" service every 20 minutes between Titanic Halt Railway Station and Catalyst, linking public transport networks to key businesses, tourist attractions, and educational and leisure facilities.
This pilot project, which will run until September, marks Northern Ireland's inaugural step into autonomous vehicles on publicly accessible roads and is seen as an initial stride towards fully driverless transport systems across the UK. Although the vehicle operates autonomously, a safety operator will remain on board during this pilot phase.
Mike Dawson, People and Digital Transformation Director at Belfast Harbour, expressed his enthusiasm for the project: "Following 8 weeks of testing, we are delighted to launch the Harlander to the public to offer last mile connectivity on the Harbour Estate. This is a groundbreaking project for Northern Ireland and is a step towards fully driverless transport. Belfast Harbour has a strong track record of supporting innovation and this project supports our Smart Port ambitions, utilising cutting-edge technology to support our tenants and the public. We're excited to see the public reaction and utilisation of the service."
Belfast Harbour is leading the development of this pioneering service in collaboration with a consortium of partners, including eVersum, Oxa (known for its autonomous vehicle software), Angoka, BT, and HORIBA MIRA.
The initiative has secured substantial backing, with £11m in joint government and industry funding. This includes £5.5m from Innovate UK, which is working alongside the Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CCAV) to invest a total of £41.5m in innovation projects across the UK, demonstrating the real-world benefits of connected and autonomous vehicles. The project aims to showcase the potential of autonomous technology to enhance urban mobility and contribute to future transport solutions.
Launched on Tuesday, 22 July 2025, the vehicle is providing a free "last mile connectivity" service every 20 minutes between Titanic Halt Railway Station and Catalyst, linking public transport networks to key businesses, tourist attractions, and educational and leisure facilities.
This pilot project, which will run until September, marks Northern Ireland's inaugural step into autonomous vehicles on publicly accessible roads and is seen as an initial stride towards fully driverless transport systems across the UK. Although the vehicle operates autonomously, a safety operator will remain on board during this pilot phase.
Mike Dawson, People and Digital Transformation Director at Belfast Harbour, expressed his enthusiasm for the project: "Following 8 weeks of testing, we are delighted to launch the Harlander to the public to offer last mile connectivity on the Harbour Estate. This is a groundbreaking project for Northern Ireland and is a step towards fully driverless transport. Belfast Harbour has a strong track record of supporting innovation and this project supports our Smart Port ambitions, utilising cutting-edge technology to support our tenants and the public. We're excited to see the public reaction and utilisation of the service."
Belfast Harbour is leading the development of this pioneering service in collaboration with a consortium of partners, including eVersum, Oxa (known for its autonomous vehicle software), Angoka, BT, and HORIBA MIRA.
The initiative has secured substantial backing, with £11m in joint government and industry funding. This includes £5.5m from Innovate UK, which is working alongside the Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CCAV) to invest a total of £41.5m in innovation projects across the UK, demonstrating the real-world benefits of connected and autonomous vehicles. The project aims to showcase the potential of autonomous technology to enhance urban mobility and contribute to future transport solutions.
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Northern Ireland's first self-driving shuttle service, named ‘Harlander', is set to conclude its successful pilot programme as planned at the end of this week. The service, which utilised a 9-seater autonomous vehicle with a safety operator on board, has been operating on a 15–20 minute loop through the Titanic Quarter.
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First Self-Driving Shuttle Service To Launch In Belfast Next Year
Northern Ireland's first self-driving shuttle service is to launch in Belfast next year. It is part of an innovative project led by Belfast Harbour with funding from Innovate UK.
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Northern Ireland WeatherToday:A sunny but frosty start for many. However cloud increases by midday with a few showers reaching the north coast, these mostly light but spreading inland this afternoon. Chilly. Maximum temperature 8 °C.Tonight:A rather cloudy evening with scattered showers. Becoming drier through the night with some good clear spells developing and a patchy frost away from coasts. Minimum temperature 0 °C.