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Freight transport is expected to increase drastically in the coming decades. In the OECD countries, an increase of up to 130 percent is expected during the period 2010 to 2050, and in countries outside the OECD, increases of up to 550 percent is expected. This places high demands on the logistics industry, which needs to change fundamentally. Especially when it comes to the last leg when the goods are to be delivered to the end customer, the so-called "last mile delivery". This is usually the most costly and environmentally harmful part of the entire supply chain.

Small autonomous electric delivery vehicles (ADV) are expected to transform transportation of goods in the last and first mile. The advantages are increased safety, efficiency and sustainability, but it is also important that these vehicles are safe and accepted in society. The GLAD project will develop an initial knowledge base on efficiency, safety and human experience of ADVs for the first and last mile delivery of goods in Sweden, and on how to create a balance between these three aspects from a socio-technical perspective.  

The project also aims to create a knowledge base within business models, delivery efficiency and interaction with the environment. The goal is to create a trust and acceptance for self-driving vehicles in Sweden. The project will be conducted during two years together with Aptiv, Combitech, Halmstad University, RISE Research Institutes of Sweden and Clean Motion. The Swedish Transport Administration's portfolio Strategic innovation is the financier. The project will be part of SAFER's portfolio Road user behavior.