The “Harlander” self-driving shuttle pilot in Northern Ireland has concluded its operations as scheduled. The service provided “last mile” connectivity within Belfast’s Titanic Quarter. It operated on a 15-20 minute loop from the Titanic Halt Railway station to the Catalyst hub.
Highlights
- The Harlander pilot concluded at the end of October following a one-month operational extension.
- Data analysis revealed a 92% passenger satisfaction rate, with commuters (40%) being a primary user group.
- A consortium led by Belfast Harbour will use project learnings to inform future AV strategies in 2026.
- The project gathered feedback to support the UK Government’s wider autonomous vehicle regulation plans.
Pilot Objectives and Performance
The 9-seater autonomous vehicle operated with a safety operator onboard throughout the pilot phase.
Its primary objective was to test last-mile connectivity. It linked public transport nodes to businesses, tourist sites, and education facilities.
The service operated from July, originally planned to end in September, but was extended to October to gather additional data.
Passenger Data and Demographics
Research gathered during the trial indicates strong user approval with a 92% satisfaction rate.
The 40-59 age demographic was the most frequent user base, followed by passengers aged 25-39.
Usage was segmented into several key categories:
- Commuters: 40%
- Occasional Users: 40%
- Tourists: 15%
- Students: 5%
Consortium and Future Outlook
Belfast Harbour led the Harlander service development.
The project involved a consortium of technology and logistics partners, including eVersum, Oxa, Angoka, BT, and HORIBA MIRA.
Project Learnings
Mike Dawson, People and Digital Transformation Director at Belfast Harbour, noted the pilot was Northern Ireland’s first test of AVs on public roads.
Dawson emphasized the high satisfaction rates and the project’s goal of complementing existing transport networks.
The extension allowed for more passenger feedback. This data will be used for project evaluation and will be shared with the UK Government.
This feedback will help support incoming regulation for autonomous technology.
Funding and Program Context
The initiative was supported by $\pounds 11\text{m}$ in joint government and industry funding.
This included $\pounds 5.5\text{m}$ from the Commercialising CAM programme.
This program is delivered by the Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CCAV), in partnership with Innovate UK and Zenzic.
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