HARLANDER – Connected and Autonomous Vehicle Shuttle Trial – Belfast Harbour

Bringing autonomous mobility to life in Belfast

Project Harlander is a pioneering collaboration that brings connected and  mobility to the streets of Belfast Harbour. Funded by the Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles and Innovate UK, the project is delivering Northern Ireland’s first autonomous passenger shuttle trial on publicly accessible roads — showcasing a safer, smarter, and more sustainable approach to urban transport.

At the heart of the project is a pair of  fully electric shuttles, integrated with Level 4 autonomy software, trialling last-mile connectivity between Titanic Halt train station and key destinations across Belfast’s Titanic Quarter.

HORIBA MIRA’s Role – Driving safety, assurance, and validation for real-world autonomy

HORIBA MIRA supported the Harlander project with targeted safety assurance and validation activities, helping to establish confidence in the autonomous shuttles’ performance . Drawing on our bespoke  safety assurance lifecycle and experience in connected and autonomous vehicle (CAV) testing, we contributed to the selection and design of the project’s test scenarios, culminating in their execution on our proving ground and evaluation of the results.

The testing approach included:

• Scenario design and test conditions informed by on-the -ground observations in Belfast
• Physical scenario-based testing conducted on our ASSURED CAV proving ground
• Technical guidance on in-service monitoring and route validation
  
  

This involvement demonstrates HORIBA MIRA’s capability to lead full end-to-end safety assurance programmes for future automated vehicle deployments.