MODI

In the MODI project, 34 European actors collaborate to accelerate the introduction of connected, cooperative and automated services and technologies within the logistics system through several demonstrators. Across borders.

Öresundsbron. Foto: Julian Hochgesang on Unsplash.

MODI is a European cross-border initiative to accelerate the introduction of automated mobility solutions for heavy-duty vehicles in freight transport systems. Within the project, initiated by the European Commission through the Horizon Europe Framework, participating actors will demonstrate automated solutions for heavy trucks. The trucks will travel along the highway corridor from Rotterdam in the Netherlands to Moss in Norway, crossing four national borders and demonstrating terminal operations at four different ports and terminals along the way.

Automated solutions for heavy traffic can contribute to streamlining European transport and logistics chains and improving traffic safety. Therefore, research within the MODI project aims to identify and address challenges hindering technological development and instead lay the groundwork for the deployment of connected, cooperative and automated (CCAM) mobility solutions. The obstacles include technological development, as well as regulations, harmonization, and social acceptance. These obstacles escalate when considering cross-border transport.

Objectives

The project's four objectives are to:

Implement the latest technology and overcome major CCAM deployment barriers for logistics by demonstrating business-oriented and well-integrated CCAM systems for use cases (UCs) along a transport corridor and between hubs.
Define recommendations for adaptations of supporting infrastructure, vehicle regulations and standards to enable broader deployment of CCAM, speeding up the introduction of CCAM vehicles and recommendations for further (eg, large scale) piloting.
Demonstrate business models and partnerships for the application of CCAM vehicles in logistics.
Perform technical & socio-economic impact assessments and communicate them in the context of the best practices of the MODI L4 CCAM solutions and systems for real-world conditions.

The demonstrations within the Swedish use case

The Swedish part of the project comprises five demonstrations/use cases, each illustrating a specific segment of the logistics chain. They identify the requirements for automated driving levels with and without human interaction—focusing on understanding and overcoming regulatory barriers and infrastructure deficiencies on public highways.

The project will also investigate needs related to confined areas, specifically terminals located at the ports of Rotterdam, Hamburg, Gothenburg, and Moss. These terminals focus on challenges such as access control, charging, coordination with automated guided vehicles, loading/unloading, and the handover from public to confined areas.

In the videos below, you can see and hear more about the technologies and solutions tested in the Swedish part of the project.