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AUTOSUP

Preparing the ground for AUTOnomous Multimodal
SUPply Chains

Elevating Operational Automation to Support Multimodal Freight Transport

Vision.

To establish common technical standards for integrated, safe, and trustworthy automated systems, promote stakeholder collaboration platforms that promote data sharing, and align regulatory frameworks, all of which are critical steps towards bridging gaps and enabling the development of concrete operational models for end-to-end autonomous logistics.
We have the ambition to drive the industrial transition to seamless multimodal automatic freight transport and enhance the operation of hubs as nodes in a Physical Internet logistics network.

Programme

Horizon RIA

Our role

Project Coordinator

Start date

June 2024

Duration

36 months

4m
Budget
17
Partners

The challenge.


The European freight Transport and Logistics (T&L) industry is undergoing an enormous shift into a new era, fueled by digitalization and technology innovations, presenting prospects for new business models and zero-emission freight transport.
Technology innovations have been implemented separately across various transportation modes and sectors, often without incorporating a Human-in-Loop design approach. This approach results in gaps and disconnections in operations. Therefore, a comprehensive strategy guiding the integration of automation technologies is crucial. It necessitates efforts towards standardization, collaboration, and policy coordination to ensure seamless operation and interaction across different systems and sectors.

Lack of Interoperability

Insufficient Multimodal Collaboration

Regulatory Gaps

Approach & solutions.


To address this challenge, AUTOSUP will support the smooth advancement of automation levels in multimodal hubs, which are crucial components of logistics networks. The Physical Internet (PI) is the perfect paradigm towards seamless multimodal automatic freight transport by interconnecting diverse and independent logistic networks into a common open logistics network. Nodes, i.e. the Hubs and Terminals of a multimodal logistics network, are one of the most complex parts of the PI concept as their role and functionality determine the efficiency and environmental impact of the whole PI network. Aiming to increase the PI node readiness, AUTOSUP will advance the following three autonomy factors:

  • the level of automation integrated into its operations (Hub level )
  • the level of connectivity (physical transport infrastructures like roads and ICT communications connectivity), operations digitalisation and information sharing
  • the level of their operational interconnection (from a collaboration perspective) with other nodes (Network Level ).

In this direction, AUTOSUP will identify the strain points, improve the links between nodes and hubs and will run alternative simulation scenarios towards identifying the parameters that optimise the operations of the network considering technological, operational, regulatory and governance aspects. This will be achieved through the development of Digital Twin (DT) models of automated Supply Chains (SC), integrated in an open, ready-to-use data-driven Decision Support System (DSS).

AUTOSUP follows a human-in-loop approach, empowering stakeholders to integrate technological advances in processes and make strategic decisions about future investments, aiming to smooth and equitable transition to autonomous supply chains (SCs), whilst accounting for sustainability and user acceptance.

Living Hubs

Evaluating innovations in a simulated environment, factoring in real-life conditions through operational data.

To achieve substantial advancements in the automation of multimodal freight transport, AUTOSUP will showcase the value of decision support tools in strategic automation planning in two major multimodal hubs, Trieste and Antwerp-Bruges, supporting them to advance their automation levels and PI readiness.

Optimisation

Interoperability

Governance Framework

Greener SCs

01

Predictive Maintenance

Intermodal rail wagons
maintenance

02

Automated transhipment

Multimodal slots and last mile routes management

03

Digital Automatic Coupler

Cross-border roll-on/roll-off transhipment

04

Future infrastructure planning

PoAB automation solutions coordination

05

Multimodal freight flows monitoring

Port-Shipper collaboration towards increased modal shift

06

Transport modes automation systems integration

ΑGV’s, Hyperloop and spillover applications design

Our role.

Beyond project coordination, Inlecom Innovation drives the activities regarding the classification of automation across the supply chain network and the liaison actions with other projects .

Learn more about the project

This project has received funding from the Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under GA 101147468. Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or European Commission. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.