MODI testing safety of VRU in Hamburg HafenCity

MODI is a European cross-border initiative to accelerate the introduction of Connected, Cooperative and Automated Mobility solutions to significantly improve logistic chains. https://modiproject.eu/

According to a 2020 study by Statista, around a third of German logistics companies see a major shortage of drivers. The MODI project aims to counteract this shortage – while the flow of goods is increasing. A consortium of 29 partners from science, public sector and industry is working on solutions for automated heavy-goods transportation. Hamburg is one of the test sites for automated heavy goods vehicles (HGV). The project has been kicked off in October 2022 and this year tests and demonstrations take place on the streets of Hamburg. The city is one of four project regions. The Hamburg Ministry for Transport and Mobility Transition, together with the Agency for Roads, Bridges and Waterways (LSBG) and Hamburg Verkehrsanlagen GmbH, are realising the project for Hamburg with the support of New Mobility Solutions GmbH. The Hamburg Port Authority is also an associated project partner. MODI is being funded by the EU Commission with a total of 23 million euros as part of the Horizon Europe programme.

The MODI project demonstrates automated heavy goods vehicles in five use cases. One of the use cases deals with safety aspects and focuses on safety of vulnerable road users (VRU) such as pedestrians.

In May, test drives have taken place at an intersection in Hamburg HafenCity where three LiDAR sensors have been installed to identify pedestrians and cyclists. People and objects in the intersection area are detected in real time and processed in the infrastructure before sent to the vehicle as collective perception message (CPM) using ITS-G5. An early warning system is being activated, and the driver is being notified of VRU when turning right.

According to the city’s Ministry for Transport and Mobility Transition Hamburg the conditions for the test phase are good. As part of the ITS Congress 2021, that took place in Hamburg, numerous roads have been digitalised. As a result, the cooperative road infrastructure is already well advanced. The plan is for at least two 40-tonne trucks from Volvo and DAF to operate between the port, motorway and industrial area in Hamburg. Specifically, the test track for automated and connected driving (TAVF) will be used. The test track has been enhanced to meet the requirements of the MODI project. The associated research programme will be finalised in the four years of the project and the technical infrastructure for communication between vehicles and the road infrastructure completed.

In addition to the use of automated trucks in Hamburg, the vehicles are also tested on motorways between Rotterdam in the Netherlands and Moss in Norway. The plan is to cross four national borders and call at four ports. However, large parts of the budget are foreseen for the technical development of the vehicles. The EU funding of 23 million euros covers 80 per cent of the total requirement. According to the project partners, the aim is to optimise existing logistics chains rather than to strive for the complete automation of HGV traffic.

Authors: Stephanie Keßler, Maren Link (FHH)

Keywords: CCAM, logistics, HGV, VRU, use cases, test track, digital infrastructure