Transforming Freight Transport Through Electrification and Automation
Freight transport is at the heart of our economy—but it also contributes significantly to carbon emissions and infrastructure costs. The SEE-FAr project explores how autonomous electric freight vehicles (AEFVs), powered by e-road and plug-in charging technologies, can reshape the future of intercity freight logistics across Europe.
Our research is built on an interdisciplinary foundation that integrates transport engineering, behavioral science, energy modeling, and large-scale simulation. By focusing on Austria and Bavaria, we aim to uncover how new technologies can enhance efficiency, reduce emissions, and support sustainable policy design in real-world conditions.
THE CHALLENGE
Heavy-duty freight vehicles are responsible for a substantial share of CO₂ emissions, and while automation and electrification offer promising solutions, major technical, behavioral, and infrastructural challenges remain.
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How do delivery behaviors and route choices change with the introduction of charging infrastructure?
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Can electric roads provide a scalable alternative to plug-in stations?
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What is the impact of automation on freight network efficiency, cost, and emissions?
To answer these questions, SEE-FAr explores how these technologies interact at system scale, revealing the trade-offs, limits, and opportunities for deploying AEFVs in a complex logistics environment.
THE GOALS
SEE-FAr’s core mission is to evaluate how the electrification and automation of freight vehicles can deliver measurable benefits across economic, environmental, and social dimensions. To achieve this, we are:
01
Real-World Delivery Patterns
Identifying real-world freight delivery patterns using GPS-based data across Austria and Bavaria
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Simulate Future Freight Scenarios
Enhancing agent-based modeling frameworks to simulate freight movements with autonomous electric fleets
02
Comparing Charging Technologies
Comparing the efficiency and feasibility of plug-in versus e-road charging solutions
04
Inform Policy with Data-Driven Insights
Evaluating policy and infrastructure implications, helping stakeholders make data-driven decisions for future transport networks
THE SEE-FAr PLAN
SEE-FAr is structured around four interconnected work packages, each designed to explore a critical dimension of freight automation and electrification.
WP1 – Freight Delivery Patterns (Lead: TUM)
Using GPS data, we map and analyze delivery flows in Austria and Bavaria, identifying common and random freight routes across vehicle types.
WP2 – Analytical Modeling of AEFV Efficiency (Lead: BOKU)
We develop cost and energy models for AEFV operation using both plug-in and e-road charging under realistic delivery conditions.
WP3 – Agent-Based Simulation Framework (Lead: TUM)
This work package builds a large-scale, agent-based model of freight movement, simulating system-wide effects of electrification and automation.
WP4 – Impact Evaluation and Policy Guidance (Lead: BOKU)
We assess the economic, environmental, and behavioral outcomes of AEFV deployment and propose strategies to support effective implementation.