The tiny state of Luxembourg – population, fewer than 700,000 – is positioning itself as a potential European hub for autonomous freight transport, as governments on both sides of the Atlantic move to create clearer regulatory and policy frameworks for self-driving trucks.
The latest signal came during a recent visit by Xavier Bettel, Luxembourg’s deputy prime minister and minister of foreign affairs and trade, to the global headquarters of PlusAI in Santa Clara, California. Bettel was joined by Lex Delles, Luxembourg’s minister of the economy, SME, energy and tourism, in meetings with PlusAI’s executive team.
The visit reflects growing interest from Luxembourg’s government in autonomous trucking as a strategic enabler for the future of European logistics, rather than a symbolic picture opportunity. Autonomous freight transport is increasingly viewed as a way to address capacity constraints, efficiency pressures and sustainability goals across long-haul and cross-border supply chains.
“Innovations in the AI era like autonomous trucks create opportunities and challenges. They will bring not only technological but also economic transformations. We need to make sure that people understand why these changes are necessary and bring them along with us,” said Bettel.
During the visit, PlusAI demonstrated its SuperDrive virtual driver technology, which the company says has been trained on more than 6 million miles of real-world driving data across the US, Europe and Asia. The company has been focusing on factory-integrated autonomous trucks, developed in partnership with established commercial vehicle manufacturers including Traton Group, Iveco Group and Hyundai Motor Company.
In discussions with PlusAI executives, Bettel outlined why Luxembourg believes it could play a supporting role in Europe’s autonomous freight ecosystem. Factors cited included the country’s geographic position between Germany and France, its concentration of logistics and freight operators, advanced digital infrastructure and a regulatory environment designed to attract long-term investment in emerging technologies.
PlusAI CEO David Liu said the company sees collaboration with governments as essential to moving autonomous trucking from pilots to commercial reality.
“We deeply appreciated this ministerial visit and the commitment of Luxembourg to fostering innovation in mobility,” said Liu. “Luxembourg has built an exceptional environment for advanced technology and logistics operations. We look forward to exploring ways our AI-based autonomous trucking technology can support the country’s vision for the future of freight.”
The Luxembourg engagement comes as momentum builds elsewhere around autonomous vehicle policy. In the United States, California regulators have advanced proposed updates to autonomous vehicle rules that would expand testing and deployment pathways for medium- and heavy-duty autonomous trucks.
Earlier this month, the California Department of Motor Vehicles opened a public comment period on revised regulations that would require manufacturers to submit formal safety cases and provide regular reporting on system failures, while removing the long-standing requirement for annual disengagement reports.
At the federal level, industry pressure for clearer national rules is also increasing. A newly formed coalition, United for Autonomy, brings together 28 organisations ranging from trucking associations and technology firms to disability and consumer groups. The coalition is calling for a consistent federal framework governing autonomous vehicle design and deployment.
“It is exciting to see a broad range of stakeholders come together to push common sense policy that will solidify American leadership in autonomous vehicles,” said Jeff Farrah, CEO of the Autonomous Vehicle Industry Association.
“Autonomous vehicles have the potential to dramatically reduce the 40,000 traffic fatalities we see each year, provide independence to people who cannot drive, and strengthen American supply chains. But realizing that potential requires federal government leadership.”
Together, these developments point to a shift in how autonomous freight is being approached globally. Rather than focusing solely on technical milestones, governments and industry players are increasingly laying regulatory and institutional groundwork to support deployment at scale.
For Luxembourg, engagement with companies such as PlusAI appears to be part of a broader effort to assess how autonomous trucking could fit within its national mobility and logistics strategy.
Whether the country ultimately emerges as a European hub for autonomous freight will depend less on announcements and more on how effectively policy, infrastructure and industry collaboration can be aligned over time.
