In May 2025, the European mobility project MODI successfully tested two crucial scenarios for automated driving in the real road environment of Hamburg. The focus was on the safe integration of trucks into the flowing motorway traffic and the detection of vulnerable road users in the inner-city area. The tests were conducted by Gruber Logistics, DAF Trucks, Volvo Trucks, the Federal Highway Research Institute (BASt), and other partners in close cooperation with the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg.
“The increasingly critical driver shortage forces the industry to rethink. In the future, we need to deploy these specialists where their experience is strategically necessary – the technology for simple, monotonous tasks already exists. Automated driving functions and infrastructure technology
not only increase safety for our drivers but also for all road users, not least pedestrians," explains Martin Gruber, Managing Director of Gruber Logistics, from the perspective of the logistics project partner.
Autonomous Merging of Trucks on the Motorway
On the motorway, the project partners tested cooperative merging of trucks into existing lanes. Volvo's "Cooperative Merging" technology was used, whereby vehicles exchange real-time information about construction sites and obstacles and coordinate their driving maneuvers accordingly. The test demonstrated how automated trucks can safely and efficiently integrate into complex traffic situations.
Cooperation with Intelligent Infrastructure
In the urban environment, the collaboration of vehicles with so-called "intelligent infrastructure" was tested. A novel detection system was used at a central traffic hub
in Hamburg, capable of identifying weaker road users such as pedestrians and cyclists from up to 300 meters away.
The system analyzes movement patterns and transmits relevant data in real-time to approaching trucks, which themselves have a limited detection range. To realistically simulate critical situations, child crash test dummies were also used to specifically test blind spots.
Integration of Traffic Light Data
The project partners also tested the integration of cooperative traffic light data. With the so-called "Time-to-Green" information, the trucks could dynamically adjust their speed to pass through traffic light phases without stopping. At the same time, the city's traffic management reacted flexibly to the expected traffic volume. The goal was to improve traffic flow, minimize braking, and
measurably reduce fuel consumption and emissions.
Background: MODI
MODI is a European innovation initiative involving 34 partners from eight countries with a total budget of around 28 million euros. The aim is to test Connected, Cooperative, and Automated Mobility solutions (CCAM) along an international transport corridor and overcome barriers to the market introduction of automated logistics systems.
The focus is on integrating automated vehicles into real logistics processes, traffic safety, efficient infrastructure use, and environmental compatibility.
Recently, MODI also presented itself at the ITS European Congress 2025 in Seville. There, project partners discussed cross-border challenges, digital infrastructure, and initial results from test environments. MODI consistently pursues the goal of advancing automated freight transport throughout Europe in a practical manner.
