'Promising' pilot paves way for automated and remote-controlled vehicle movements, says Volkswagen's Peter Hörndlein
At Automotive Logistics and Supply Chain Europe 2026, Volkswagen Group's Peter Hörndlein shares key learnings from its automated vehicle movement pilot project so far, and how standardisation and precise demand forecasting is crucial to effective finished vehicle logistics.
Joining Automotive Logistics on the Red Sofa at ALSC Europe, Peter Hörndlein, managing director of vehicle logistics at Volkswagen Group Logistics (part of Volkwagen Group), discussed some of the key takeaways so far from Volkwagen's ongoing pilot project at the Port of Emden in Germany that is testing the use of driverless vehicles to automate workflows and improve efficiency.
The 'AutoLog' project is a publicly-funded initiative supported by Volkswagen Group Logistics, BIBA, Deutsche Telekom and Unikie, seeking to address challenges faced by terminal operators such as limited space, a lack of experts to handle increased shipments, and growing expectations surrounding flexibility and efficiency.
"We have to recognise that this is still a pilot project and so far the results have been very promising," Hörndlein said. "But the major takeaway from my side is that it's really possible to have remote-controlled or automated driven vehicles smoothly interacting with manually driven vehicles – so that proves that the technology is ready and you can operate a yard, port or compound by combining the two worlds."
Although only some cars are driverless today, Hörndlein noted that in the future it is possible that more cars won't need drivers and vehicles can be steered in an automated way. He described the pilot as "the first step into tomorrow" when it comes to automated vehicle movements in finished vehicle logistics.
"I think this is really a big step forward because it helps to improve vehicle movements on the yard a lot in terms of profitability and in terms of efficiency," he explained. "But also what this project nicely shows is that you can transfer the technology rather easily to other locations because you're using a public 5G network. So you can apply the technology everywhere, and that allows you to start thinking about vehicle logistics movements in a new way."
Demand forecasting
Hörndlein emphasised that demand forecasting is critical for the finished vehicle sector because capacities – whether that be space limitations, driver shortages or equipment availability issues – can really be a limiting factor.
"Every improvement we can make in predicting demand that helps to allocate the capacities more precisely – that helps to make the whole system more efficient," he said. "The last thing you want to see is to see an empty truck on the motorway that just needs to go somewhere to pick up cars there, because it has been at the wrong end beforehand."
He noted that precise predictions can allow companies to optimise resource allocation, which is crucial when space, drivers and equipment are limited.
Data and standardisation
Hörndlein highlighted the importance of adhering to standards when it comes to data formats or exchange interfaces. He said that there's nothing wrong with companies using different operating systems in the background, but when interacting with a remote vehicle operating system or when this system interacts with a car, the data format needs to be standardised and shout meet ISO communication standards.
"This will be really a key enabler to apply the technology throughout the whole industry," he said, adding that collaborating with governing bodies and exchanging ideas at events like ALSC Europe can help raise awareness of the need for standardisation – something he believes will help not just OEMs, but also service providers and trucking companies, to make the most out of the capacities available.
