Those: Adobe Stock / Gina Sanders
The Federal Ministry of Digital and Transport (BMDV) is supporting the AUTOGVZ project to automate truck traffic in the Bremen freight transport center with funding of 3.6 million euros.
State Secretary Stefan Schnorr:
Automation and teleoperated driving offer the potential to significantly improve the efficiency, safety and sustainability of logistics processes. With regard to truck traffic in freight transport centers, the AUTOGVZ project can make a valuable contribution to speeding up processes, increasing utilization and reducing the susceptibility to errors. With our funding we support this future-oriented project.
Germany is taking a leading role in autonomous driving and was the first country in the world to create a comprehensive legal framework in 2021. The AUTOGVZ project in the Bremen freight transport center aims to apply the technological advances of recent years to freight transport. Specifically, traffic on a route of around three kilometers is to be automated and supported teleoperatively. The knowledge gained as part of the project will be used to roll out the system in other freight transport centers.
The project starts in January 2025 and runs until June 2027. The network coordinator is to-be-now-logistics-research-gmbh, Lilienthal. Project partners are LUB Consulting GmbH (LUB), Dresden, Roland Umschlagsgesellschaft für combinen Güterverkehr mbH & Co. KG, Bremen, Götting KG, Lehrte, and German Aerospace Center e. V. (DLR) – Institute for Transport Systems Technology, Cologne/Braunschweig.
* How does the AUTOGVZ project specifically address the growing concerns about decarbonization and sustainability within the freight transport sector?
## World Today News Exclusive: Automating the Future of Freight
**Welcome to World Today News. Today, we are joined by two experts to discuss the groundbreaking AUTOGVZ project, a Government-funded initiative aimed at automating truck traffic in the Bremen freight transport center. Joining us are:**
* **Professor Astrid Müller:** A leading researcher in logistics and intelligent transportation systems at the Technical University of Munich.
* **Mr. Jan Schmidt:** CEO of LUB Consulting GmbH, a key partner in the AUTOGVZ project, specializing in logistics optimization.
**Section 1: The Potential of Automated Logistics**
* **Interviewer:** Professor Müller, Germany is renowned for its engineering prowess. What makes the AUTOGVZ project particularly significant in the context of global logistics?
* **Interviewer:** Mr. Schmidt, given your experience in logistics optimization, what specific challenges in freight transport centers can automation potentially address? Are there any potential drawbacks we should be aware of?
**Section 2: Automation and the Future of Work**
* **Interviewer:** Professor Müller, concerns exist about job displacement due to automation. How can projects like AUTOGVZ ensure a smooth transition for workers in the logistics sector?
* **Interviewer:** Mr. Schmidt, with human oversight still playing a role through teleoperation, how do you see the roles of truck drivers evolving in the future?
**Section 3: Implementation and Scalability**
* **Interviewer:** The AUTOGVZ project will initially focus on a 3-kilometer route. Professor Müller, what are the key challenges involved in scaling up such a system to larger freight transport centers and potentially nationwide?
* **Interviewer:** Mr. Schmidt, what preliminary insights have you gained from early planning stages regarding the necessary infrastructure and technology for a successful rollout?
**Section 4: Long-Term Vision for Automated Freight**
* **Interviewer:** Professor Müller, how do you envision the AUTOGVZ project contributing to a
more sustainable and efficient future for freight transport?
* **Interviewer:** Mr. Schmidt, beyond efficiency, what broader societal benefits could arise from widespread adoption of automated freight operations?
**Closing:**
* **Interviewer:** Thank you both for sharing your valuable insights. The AUTOGVZ project appears to be a groundbreaking initiative with potentially far-reaching impacts. We eagerly await the outcome of this project and its contribution to shaping the future of logistics.
