Belgian retailer Colruyt will start a pilot project next month to have self-driving vans deliver groceries in Leuven. The project is an extension of Colruyt’s ‘Collect&Go’ service, which allows customers to order groceries online and pick them up at a Colruyt supermarket at their convenience.

Colruyt primarily delivers to homes in and around major cities, and in Leuven, it will soon use self-driving, fully electric vehicles for home deliveries.

Remotely controlled

However, Colruyt’s vans won’t be completely self-driving yet. A human remotely controls them. The telecom company Telenet has reportedly upgraded its 5G network in Leuven to ensure the shuttles don’t suddenly stop.

Colruyt has been providing home deliveries for some time now. The supermarket chain started delivering groceries in 2022. Colruyt previously ran a three-year pilot project in Londerzeel, where Clevon delivery robot buses operated on a fixed 4-kilometer route.

Belgian first

Colruyt started testing the Estonian Clevon robot on Belgian public roads in November 2022 with its Smart Technics innovation team. That was a Belgian first, as it required a special federal government permit and the local mayor’s and police chief’s blessing to have an autonomous vehicle on public roads. That pilot project has since concluded.

Now, the Clevon buses will also be deployed in Leuven, no longer following a fixed route but able to reach any address in the city. The test in Leuven should clarify for Colruyt whether the self-driving shuttles are economically and ecologically viable.

Self-driving buses and shuttles are seen as a solution to the structural shortage of drivers in Belgium and across Europe. Delhaize and Albert Heijn have previously relied on traditional home delivery and bicycle couriers, though they have not visibly experimented with autonomous vehicles in public spaces.