From 26–28 May 2026, MODI partners gathered in Bolzano, South Tyrol (Italy) for the project’s last Bi-Annual Meeting. Hosted by GRUBER Logistics, one of the logistics partners of the consortium, the meeting brought together representatives from across the project to review progress, consolidate lessons learned, discuss recommendations and legacy activities, and align on the final steps needed to maximise the project’s impact beyond its completion.
Taking place during the final phase of the project, the meeting focused on how MODI’s demonstrations, operational experience, stakeholder engagement activities and deployment recommendations can contribute not only to the successful completion of the project, but also to the next generation of European initiatives aimed at accelerating the deployment of Connected, Cooperative and Automated Mobility (CCAM) solutions at scale.
Held in conjunction with the first GRUBER Logistics Innovation Summit, the event created valuable opportunities to connect MODI outcomes with broader discussions on automation, logistics innovation, sustainable freight transport, and the future deployment of CCAM solutions in Europe.
🏭 Site Visit to GRUBER Logistics Headquarters
The programme started with a visit to the GRUBER Logistics headquarters, providing consortium partners with first-hand insights into the operational environment of one of Europe’s leading logistics providers.
The visit offered a valuable opportunity to discuss operational challenges, logistics processes, innovation activities, and future deployment opportunities for automated freight transport solutions. It also reinforced the importance of collaboration between logistics operators, technology providers, infrastructure managers, authorities, and research organisations to accelerate the deployment of CCAM solutions across Europe.
📅 Strategic Discussions for the Final Stage of MODI
The core of the meeting focused on preparing the project for its final months and ensuring that the knowledge generated throughout the project can create a lasting impact beyond its completion.
The agenda included dedicated sessions on exploitation activities, Key Exploitable Results (KERs), final exploitation strategies, recommendations, lessons learned, and MODI legacy activities. Partners reviewed progress achieved across demonstrations, logistics use cases, stakeholder engagement activities, business model development, digital infrastructure, and operational deployment experiences.
Particular attention was given to the development of the project’s Book of Recommendations, one of MODI’s key final outcomes. Through plenary presentations and breakout discussions, consortium members worked together to review and refine recommendations derived from almost four years of demonstrations, testing activities, stakeholder interactions, and cross-border operational experiences.
The recommendations aim to support a broad range of stakeholders—including policymakers, certification bodies, logistics operators, technology providers, infrastructure managers, and innovation actors—in overcoming deployment barriers and accelerating the adoption of automated freight transport solutions across Europe.
The afternoon discussions focused on lessons learned, partner takeaways, future exploitation opportunities, and MODI’s long-term legacy. These exchanges helped ensure that project outcomes will continue supporting future CCAM initiatives and deployment activities well beyond the project’s lifetime.
💡Innovation Summit 2026: Connecting MODI with the Wider Logistics Innovation Ecosystem
On 28 May, MODI partners also participated in the first edition of the GRUBER Logistics Innovation Summit, held at NOI Techpark. The event gathered logistics operators, technology providers, vehicle manufacturers, researchers, innovators, and transport experts to discuss the future of logistics and supply chains.
The summit addressed several strategic themes shaping the future of the sector, including automation and artificial intelligence, intermodal transport, hydrogen and battery-electric trucks, supply chain innovation, and autonomous freight transport.
By bringing together different perspectives from industry, research, and innovation communities, the event provided an excellent platform for discussing how emerging technologies can support more efficient, sustainable, resilient, and competitive logistics operations in Europe.
🛣️ Autonomous Freight Transport: Looking Beyond the Vehicle
One of the most engaging sessions of the Innovation Summit focused on the future of autonomous driving in freight and logistics, facilitated by New Mobility Solutions Hamburg and closely connected to the work being carried out within the MODI project.
Rather than focusing exclusively on vehicle technology, the session explored a broader question: how should the logistics ecosystem adapt to enable the successful deployment of autonomous vehicles?
Through an interactive workshop format, nearly 200 participants from the logistics sector, technology providers, research organisations, vehicle manufacturers, and innovation stakeholders were invited to analyse how different segments of the logistics chain may evolve towards increasing levels of automation.
Using a model vehicle travelling along a logistics route, participants identified bottlenecks across the entire transport chain and proposed solutions to address them. The exercise encouraged stakeholders to think beyond the vehicle itself and consider the wider ecosystem required for deployment, including terminals, warehouses, digital and physical infrastructure, operational processes, regulations, certification frameworks, and human roles.
The discussions strongly resonated with MODI’s own approach, which recognises that the successful deployment of automated freight transport depends not only on advances in vehicle technology but also on the readiness of the broader logistics ecosystem.
A key takeaway from the workshop was clear: the future of autonomous transport is not only about developing autonomous vehicles, but also about enabling the transformation of the entire logistics system around them. The session generated valuable exchanges of perspectives and reinforced the importance of collaboration across the full logistics value chain to accelerate the deployment of CCAM solutions in Europe.
🤝Looking Ahead
With only a few months remaining before project completion, the Bolzano meeting marked an important milestone for the consortium. It allowed partners to consolidate achievements, refine final recommendations, align dissemination and exploitation activities, and prepare for the project’s final showcase.
The discussions held during the Bi-Annual Meeting and the GRUBER Logistics Innovation Summit reaffirmed the importance of collaboration across the entire CCAM ecosystem to accelerate the deployment of automated freight transport solutions and contribute to a safer, more sustainable, and more efficient European transport system.
Beyond the project’s final demonstrations and results, partners also reflected on how MODI’s findings can contribute to the next generation of European CCAM initiatives. As a flagship European project for automated freight transport and logistics, MODI has generated valuable operational experience, stakeholder insights, business perspectives, and deployment recommendations that can support future large-scale demonstration and deployment activities across Europe.
The project’s lessons learned—from cross-border operations and logistics use cases to stakeholder cooperation, business models, digital infrastructure, and regulatory considerations—provide important building blocks for upcoming European initiatives aiming to accelerate the market uptake of Connected, Cooperative and Automated Mobility solutions. In this regard, MODI is helping pave the way for future large-scale CCAM demonstration and deployment activities and contributing to Europe’s long-term vision for sustainable, efficient, resilient, and digitally connected logistics.
Join Us at the MODI Final Event in Antwerp
The MODI consortium is already preparing its Final Event, which will take place in Antwerp on 15–16 September 2026, bringing together project partners, policymakers, industry representatives and the broader CCAM and logistics community.
The event will feature:
- project results and lessons learned
- discussions on deployment readiness
- networking activities
- live demonstrations during the Autonomous Summit at the Port of Antwerp-Bruges
Pre-registration is already open here: MODI Final Event Registration
Please note that, due to the limited number of seats, final confirmation of attendance will be communicated by email.
Further information about the programme and activities will be announced soon.
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).