A UK-backed study into autonomous heavy goods vehicles has identified hub-to-hub motorway trunking and intermodal shuttle operations as the most viable starting points for early deployment in the UK freight sector.

The findings were presented by the eFREIGHT Autonomous consortium at Voltempo’s Autonomous conference in Birmingham on 18 May, bringing together operators, OEMs, technology firms and government representatives to discuss the future of autonomous freight.

Led by Voltempo alongside Connected Places Catapult and Berkeley Coachworks, the consortium secured funding in 2025 through the CAM Pathfinder Feasibility Studies competition, backed by the UK Government and delivered by Innovate UK and Zenzic.

Over the past nine months, the consortium has engaged with fleet operators, government departments and every major European truck manufacturer to assess how autonomous freight could be introduced into UK logistics operations.

The report concludes that autonomous freight is moving beyond pilot projects internationally and towards early commercial operation, while the UK edges closer to implementation of the Automated Vehicles Act 2024.

Michael Boxwell, corporate development officer at Voltempo, said: “What’s become clear is that this is no longer a future concept. The technology, legislation and commercial interest are all moving forward quickly.”

According to the consortium, predictable hub-to-hub routes and short shuttle operations between ports, railheads and distribution centres offer the clearest commercial pathway for autonomous deployment because they operate within more controlled environments.

The project has also explored concepts for a new category of autonomous HGV, including lightweight “smart trailer” designs which it claims could increase payload capacity by 15% while cutting vehicle weight by around 10%.

The consortium estimates these concepts could eventually remove more than 22,000 heavy vehicles from UK roads and reduce operating costs by up to 37%.

A further phase of the programme is expected to focus on supporting UK autonomous freight trials from 2027 onwards.