Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1546262
4 gozotoday | FRIDAY • 21 AUGUST 2026 NEWS Autonomous bus public testing phase begins in Gozo Gozo's autonomous bus project has entered its public testing phase following the completion of commissioning, marking another milestone in the rollout of the EU-funded mobility initiative THE autonomous bus project in Gozo commenced its public testing phase af- ter the completion of the commission- ing phase, marking another important milestone in the rollout of this innovative EU-funded mobility initiative. The autonomous bus will operate in the localities of San Lawrenz and Gharb, Gozo, from Monday to Saturday, exclud- ing public holidays, between 9:30am and 12:14pm and 2pm and 4:45pm, with de- partures every 15 minutes between Ċan- gura (San Lawrenz) and Dbieġi (Il-Wilġa in Għarb). Malta Public Transport said, the public testing programme will be following rig- orous safety considerations. Each journey will be overseen by a trained operator with the ability to take manual control whenever needed. Operating in accord- ance with Transport Malta's regulatory requirements, the project will also gather operational data to support a comprehen- sive evaluation of the pilot project. Passengers are invited to experience the service free of charge and are encouraged to share their feedback by completing a short survey after their journey. As the re- search partner in the project, the Univer- sity of Malta will be collecting passenger feedback throughout the testing period to better understand users' experience, expectations and perceptions of auton- omous public transport. The feedback gathered will play an important role in evaluating the pilot and informing future mobility solutions. The testing phase forms part of the metaCCAZE project, led locally by Malta Public Transport, the Ministry for Sus- tainable Mobility and the University of Malta, and supported by the Authority for Transport in Malta. The project is ex- ploring how autonomous and connected transport solutions can contribute to saf- er, smarter and more sustainable mobil- ity. Malta Public Transport General Man- ager Konrad Pule said: "The start of the public testing phase represents an im- portant step in this project, as it gives the public the opportunity to experience au- tonomous transport for the first time in Malta. While this is a pilot initiative, it allows us to better understand how this technology performs in a real-world en- vironment and how passengers interact with it." The project is focused on exploring how new technology can support and comple- ment Malta's existing public transport service, with drivers continuing to play a central role in delivering the service. Maria Attard, Director of the Institute for Climate Change and Sustainable De- velopment at the University of Malta added: "Research lies at the heart of the metaCCAZEproject, exploring how au- tonomous mobility can be implemented effectively in real-world settings. Beyond technological feasibility, the University of Malta is examining public acceptance, user experiences and the wider social impacts of the service. The pilot will al- so provide valuable insight into how les- sons from other European contexts can be adapted to the specific mobility needs and realities of Malta and Gozo." Diane Muscat, Director General (Strate- gy and Policy) at the Ministry for Sustain- able Mobility said: "The MetaCCAZEpro- ject allows Malta to explore innovative transport solutions that can contribute to safer, smarter and more sustainable mobility. As the Ministry for Sustaina- ble Mobility, this initiative represents an important step in supporting the testing of more efficient, accessible and environmen- tally responsible transport systems. The pilot will provide valuable knowledge and practical experience to help shape the fu- ture of transport in Malta and Gozo, while informing future policy and investment de- cisions in the sector." The Chief Executive Officer of Transport Malta, Leonid McKay, said that, for this technology to be tested on our roads, a reg- ulatory and legislative framework had been established to enable such testing. This fol- lowed extensive research into the legislative frameworks adopted by other countries. The pilot project will also provide the reg- ulator with valuable insight into how regu- lations and legislation should be developed in the future to facilitate the introduction of autonomous vehicles on Maltese roads. 'We cannot continue addressing tomorrow's transport challenges with yesterday's solutions' - PN says The Nationalist Party has backed Malta's first autonomous bus pilot in San Law- renz, describing it as a positive step to- wards a more modern and sustainable public transport system. PN spokespersons Ivan Castillo and George Vital Zammit said Malta should explore how autonomous technology could improve feeder services, short routes, park-and-ride facilities, mobili- ty hubs and other services where tradi- tional buses may not always be the most efficient option. They said automation should comple- ment workers rather than replace them, while helping improve productivity and reduce pressure on Malta's transport system. "If we want to reduce traffic, we must provide people with better alternatives," they said. "And if we want better alternatives, we must be prepared to use tomorrow's technology today." The autonomous bus will operate in the localities of San Lawrenz and Gharb (Photo: Malta Public Transport)