Ush has partnered with fellow D’Ieteren subsidiary, Poppy Mobility, Belgium’s leading car-sharing and rental operator, to introduce remote-driving technology for delivering rental cars around the Port of Antwerp-Bruges. This test phase marks a significant step towards their shared vision of making car rentals as effortless as ordering a taxi.
Through this collaboration with Poppy, Ush is offering a glimpse into the future of car rental. Soon, Poppy users will be able to request a rental vehicle via the Poppy app, which Ush will drive remotely to their location in real-time. They can then choose to take the wheel themselves or be driven by a remote driver operating from a teledrive station at Ush’s headquarters.
This offering is supported by Vay, the developer of automotive-grade technology for remote-driving. Vay is currently operating a commercial service in Las Vegas, Nevada. Vay announced at CES in January that it is expanding its door-to-door remote-driving service to 100 vehicles in Las Vegas in 2025, having recently gone past the 6,000 trips milestone.
Through the Vay app, users in Las Vegas can request an electric vehicle to be remotely delivered to them. At the end of the trip, the user exits the car and a remote driver takes over, eliminating the time-consuming search for parking.
Ush has secured an exclusive partnership with Vay to further develop and commercialize its proprietary technology in Belgium.
A strategic first deployment with Boluda.
To introduce this innovation in Belgium, Ush is working step by step with the relevant authorities. The initial rollout includes two remote driven vehicles operating in Port of Antwerp-Bruges, serving Boluda, a leading provider of global maritime services.
“Bringing remote-driving technology to Belgium requires a careful, phased approach in collaboration with regulators,” explains Max Levandowski, CEO of Ush. “We chose to start at a manageable scale with two vehicles serving key locations in the port.”
“With the introduction of remote-driving technology in Port of Antwerp-Bruges, the port confirms its role as a testing ground for cutting-edge technologies. It has already served as a launch pad for autonomous shipping and autonomous drones, both of which are now scaling rapidly – demonstrating how the port accelerates innovation. The testing of this remote-driving technology follows the same trajectory, reinforcing the port’s position as a key innovation hub where technologies are tested, validated, and fast-tracked for commercial deployment. The port aims to be a regulatory sandbox where new technologies can prove their reliability and potential.” confirms Jacques Vandermeiren, CEO of Port of Antwerp-Bruges.
Thomas von der Ohe, CEO and founder of Vay, added: “I moved back to Europe from Silicon Valley and joined my co-founders to take advantage of our continent’s world leading automotive engineering excellence. With this partnership with Ush and Poppy, we’re thrilled to see our vision for the future of mobility taking shape. Remotely driven vehicles are taking to European roads – for a commercial service – for the first time. With the support of regulators, we hope this will be the first of many exciting, remote drive-enabled projects across Europe.”
Through this partnership, Boluda employees working in remote areas of the port can request a Poppy rental car in real-time. The vehicle will be remotely delivered to them, allowing them to drive to their destination. Once they’re finished, control of the car will be returned to the remote driver, who will navigate it to the next user.
Key regulatory approvals achieved in 2024.
Ush has successfully secured essential approvals to bring this technology to Belgium’s public roads:
- Technical evaluation by the Flemish Department of Mobility and Public Works, with an in-depth analysis by IMEC.
- Positive recommendation on the Risk Analysis conducted by the VIAS institute for Road Safety.
- Approvals from the Federal Minister of Mobility and the FOD/SPF Mobility.
- Approvals from the Flemish Region and Port of Antwerp-Bruges.
- Special registration & insurance for the test vehicles.
Next steps for full commercial rollout.
- Phase 1 (approved by authorities and starting today): Initial deployment on a defined route on the right bank of the port, with a safety driver in the vehicle monitoring the first rides.
- Phase 2 (coming months): Expansion to a second route on the left bank of the port.
- Phase 3 (end of 2025): Full-scale deployment across the entire port, without route restrictions and without an onboard safety operator.
In the coming months, more companies around Port of Antwerp-Bruges will be invited to offer the service to their employees. Poppy hopes for a full commercial roll out in the city of Antwerp starting in 2026. In order to achieve this, Ush says it will continue its close collaboration with all relevant authorities to define a solid legal framework for remote-driving.
SOURCE: Vay
