Paving the way for self-driving trucks
The EU’s automotive industry is advancing along many different paths, one of which is connected, cooperative and automated mobility (CCAM). However, while autonomous airport buses, metro lines and even driverless passenger cars are becoming more and more common, self-driving trucks still have a way to go. To help speed up the mass adoption of automated freight vehicles, the EU-funded MODI(opens in new window) project is working to address barriers in confined areas and on public roads on the Rotterdam–Oslo corridor and demonstrating its solutions. “This project is about providing a stepping stone to the full-scale deployment of fleets of automated vehicles,” states Ragnhild Wahl, director for research and innovation at MODI project coordinator ITS Norway, in an article(opens in new window) published in ‘Horizon Magazine’. The aim is to develop a system that will enable self-driving trucks to transport goods across Europe – to reach a level of automation where freight vehicles are able to drive within specific geographical areas without humans on board. The trucks will be able to drive without breaks, for longer periods of time, improving logistics efficiency. They will also solve another problem facing the trucking industry: “There’s a severe shortage of drivers and it’s only going to get worse in the coming years,” remarks Pia Wijk, a project manager at Swedish project partner Einride, a freight technology company specialising in electric and autonomous vehicles. The MODI researchers are working to identify and lower barriers to automation, and they are exploring ways to integrate automated transport into the logistics sector. Essential aspects of a journey, such as border crossings, documentation, refuelling, and loading or unloading, need to be taken into account, all of which need to be carried out effectively in automated transport.
Along the corridor
The project is focusing on the 1 200-kilometre road corridor from Rotterdam in the Netherlands to Oslo in Norway, a route that spans four national borders and also involves customs and toll clearance between EU and non-EU countries. Different technological solutions are being tested through specific use cases in port areas along the corridor, each representing a part of supply chain logistics. In Rotterdam, MODI researchers are studying autonomous vehicle performance in busy port environments with mixed traffic. In Hamburg, investigations are focusing on transitions between motorways and urban city roads. In Gothenburg, the project team is exploring challenges in hub-to-hub traffic, such as automated charging, loading and unloading, as well as automated tolling (when crossing the border into Norway). In Moss (Norway), MODI is testing communication between infrastructure and vehicles on public roads.
Sharing knowledge
The ITS European Congress(opens in new window) held in Seville, Spain, in May 2025 offered MODI the opportunity to showcase its innovative solutions helping to shape automated freight transport in Europe and beyond. Project partners presented their advancements in CCAM for freight and contributed to two key sessions in the congress’s official programme: discussing collaborative traffic management, and how automation and data-driven operations can improve terminal efficiency and supply chain logistics performance. Through its efforts, MODI (A leap towards SAE L4 automated driving features) is furthering the adoption of scalable, interoperable and safe automated logistics solutions. The project ends in 2026. For more information, please see: MODI project website(opens in new window)
