The second Autonomous Summit will stage live demonstrations of autonomous mobility at the Port of Antwerp-Bruges, with organisers and exhibitors showing how self‑driving trucks, shuttles and remotely controlled vessels and vehicles are being deployed at a larger scale. Sources indicated the event on 27 September 2026, noting the expanded remit of this year’s programme.
The report says the summit will present an array of systems beyond road vehicles, including remotely controlled ships, trains, drones and robotics, underlining a shift in scope from proof‑of‑concept experiments to operational demonstrations. Port of Antwerp‑Bruges is singled out as a focal point for the live trials and displays planned for the second edition of the event.
While the 2025 edition largely showcased what was technologically possible, the coverage notes that this year’s summit intends to demonstrate applications being used more widely and at what the report describes as an ever‑larger scale. The emphasis in reporting is on visible, real‑world deployments rather than laboratory prototypes.
What will be shown
Exhibits slated for the summit, according to the report, encompass autonomous trucks and shuttles alongside remotely controlled maritime and rail assets, and a variety of drone and robotic systems. The selection reflects a cross‑modal approach that brings together land, sea and air platforms within a single event.
The Port of Antwerp‑Bruges will serve as the demonstration stage for many of these systems, enabling attendees to observe integrated operations across terminals and hinterland links. The report indicates that the port’s facilities will be used to illustrate how autonomous technology interacts with established port logistics and infrastructure.
From possibility to practice
The reports coverage frames this year’s summit as a moment of transition: where 2025 looked at technical feasibility, the current edition is presented as showing scaled application. Observers quoted by the outlet describe the demonstrations as evidence of growing maturity in autonomous solutions for ports and maritime supply chains.
The report highlights the variety of platforms on display rather than specific suppliers or technical specifications. Autonomous trucks and shuttles are mentioned alongside remotely controlled ships, trains, drones and robotics, signalling that organisers intend to present a broad spectrum of technologies rather than a single approach.
The summit’s second edition will therefore be watched by operators and regulators as a practical barometer of how quickly autonomous systems are moving from experimental use into everyday operations. reports’s summary of the event suggests that the demonstrations will focus on interoperability and scale, although detailed programme elements and participating companies were not listed in the report.
Attendance and follow‑up reporting at the event are likely to provide further detail on technical standards, safety arrangements and regulatory adaptations prompted by the wider deployment of autonomous mobility in port environments. For now, the published account positions the summit as a forum where visible, larger‑scale implementations will be placed centre stage, offering a snapshot of where the sector stands after early technological trialling.