At the end of August, MODI reached another major international stage in Beijing, where project partner IN-MOVE participated in a series of activities aimed at showcasing European progress in Connected, Cooperative and Automated Mobility (CCAM), exchanging experiences with international stakeholders and gaining first-hand insights into the rapidly evolving automated mobility ecosystem in Asia.
The visit centred on the HICOOL 2026 Global Entrepreneur Summit, one of Beijing’s largest international innovation and entrepreneurship gatherings. The 2026 edition brought together more than 50,000 participants, over 600 high-tech companies from more than 30 countries and regions, and more than 1,000 investors, alongside more than 50 thematic activities and five exhibition areas.
For MODI, participation provided an opportunity to present the achievements of European CCAM research and innovation to a global audience while positioning the project as a European reference for the future deployment of automated freight transport and logistics.
🌍 Bringing MODI and Europe’s CCAM Experience to the HICOOL Main Stage
On 29 August, MODI was presented during the HICOOL thematic programme “Going Global Breakthrough”, where IN-MOVE delivered a keynote to an audience of more than 500 participants.
The presentation provided an overview of the current state of CCAM in Europe and used MODI as a flagship example of automated freight and logistics, illustrating how European research organisations, industry, logistics operators, infrastructure managers and public authorities are working together to move automated freight transport from research and demonstration towards deployment.
With 36 organisations from eight countries and almost €30 million in investment, MODI has tested automated freight transport technologies in real logistics environments and along the Rotterdam–Oslo corridor. The keynote highlighted some of the main lessons emerging from the project, including the importance of digitalisation and C-ITS, technical and regulatory harmonisation for cross-border deployment, simulation and digital twins, changes to logistics workflows when the driver is removed from the vehicle, and the importance of trusted data exchange and stakeholder cooperation.
The presentation also highlighted MODI’s contribution beyond individual demonstrations. Infrastructure recommendations, business models, vehicle coordination interfaces, impact assessments and the project’s forthcoming Book of Recommendations are intended to support the next generation of large-scale CCAM initiatives in Europe.
Alongside the keynote, MODI was represented in the HICOOL exhibition area through the IN-MOVE stand, where project materials and demonstration videos introduced visitors to MODI’s work across ports, terminals, public roads and cross-border freight operations.
The exhibition also provided opportunities to exchange perspectives with technology companies, innovation organisations, investors and international delegations from different parts of Asia and beyond, including stakeholders from markets such as South Korea and Singapore.
These exchanges reinforced the importance of international dialogue in CCAM. Europe has significant knowledge to share from large collaborative projects such as MODI, while there is also clear value in understanding how automated mobility technologies, services and business models are progressing towards deployment in other leading regions.
🚛 Exploring Intelligent and Automated Transport at the 18th International Exhibition on Transport Technology & Equipment
The IN-MOVE delegation also attended the 18th International Exhibition on Transport Technology & Equipment, held from 26–28 August at the National Convention Center in Beijing.
Hosted by the Ministry of Transport and organised by the Global Sustainable Transport Innovation and Knowledge Center (GSTIKC), the exhibition focused on the theme “A New Era of AI, A New Future for Transportation”, showcasing developments in intelligent transport, artificial intelligence, connectivity, sustainable mobility and advanced transport equipment.
The event brought together public institutions, transport operators, OEMs, technology providers, research organisations and international organisations, creating a broad platform for discussing how technological innovation can support safer, smarter and more sustainable transport systems.
For MODI, the exhibition provided an opportunity to engage with organisations developing and deploying technologies relevant to connected and automated mobility and logistics, including autonomous heavy-duty and light commercial vehicles, intelligent infrastructure, digital traffic management and AI-supported transport solutions.
The exhibition offered an interesting complement to MODI’s European experience. While MODI is consolidating evidence and recommendations from large-scale demonstrations across Europe, the visit provided direct exposure to technologies and operational models increasingly moving from development towards real-world application in Asian markets.
It also reinforced one of MODI’s central messages: successful automation requires much more than an autonomous vehicle. Connectivity, digital and physical infrastructure, traffic management, logistics processes, regulation, interoperability and viable business models need to progress together to enable deployment at scale.
🔗 Connecting with Beijing’s Automated Mobility Ecosystem
Beyond the two major events, the visit included bilateral exchanges with organisations working on autonomous mobility, connected transport and logistics automation, providing an opportunity to better understand technology readiness, deployment strategies and approaches to scaling automated mobility services.
Particular attention was given to the Beijing High-Level Autonomous Driving Demonstration Zone, an important real-world deployment environment centred on the Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area in Yizhuang. The area combines automated vehicles with intelligent road infrastructure, communications networks, cloud services and digital mobility systems.
The delegation also had the opportunity to experience automated mobility services operating in the city, providing valuable first-hand insights into how autonomous vehicle technologies are increasingly being integrated into everyday mobility environments.
These interactions were particularly relevant as MODI approaches its final stage. Different regions are following different technological, regulatory and market pathways towards automated mobility, but many of the underlying challenges remain common: safety, infrastructure readiness, interoperability, regulation, business viability and integration into existing transport and logistics systems.
🌐 Strengthening MODI’s International Legacy
Participation in Beijing reinforced MODI’s international dimension and the importance of maintaining dialogue between Europe and other leading regions in automated mobility.
As one of Europe’s major collaborative initiatives dedicated to automated freight transport, MODI demonstrates how the European approach combines industrial innovation, research, public authorities, infrastructure, logistics operators and cross-border cooperation.
At the same time, exposure to rapidly developing automated mobility ecosystems provides useful perspectives for MODI partners and future European initiatives. Connecting these experiences can help ensure that lessons generated through MODI continue contributing to the next generation of large-scale CCAM demonstrations and deployment activities in Europe, while strengthening international cooperation around safer, more efficient and more sustainable logistics.
📍 We’re Almost There: Join MODI final event in Antwerp
The Project Final Event is just around the corner, taking place in Port of Antwerp-Bruges on 15–16 September 2026 to share the project’s final results, lessons learned and legacy.
With only a few places still available, attendance to the MODI Final Event on 15 September is now managed directly by email (modi@railgrup.net).
The wider community is also warmly invited to join the Autonomous Summit on 16 September, visit the MODI stand, discover the static demonstrations and engage directly with project partners.
👉 Register for the Autonomous Summit
Further information about the programme and activities will be available early next week.
Don’t miss MODI promotional video on YouTube and also available on MODI’s official website.
Stay tuned for further updates on our ongoing initiatives as the MODI consortium continues to expand global partnerships and drive innovation in the CCAM arena. For more information about the project and its developments, please join our Newsletter, and keep following MODI on LinkedIn and X (Twitter).