The transformation roadmap charts the course for autonomous vehicles

After a decade of research and pilot projects, the technology has reached early commercial operation in countries such as the US and China. In Europe, new regulatory frameworks are expected to enable larger vehicle series as early as 2027. The question for Sweden is therefore no longer whether the technology is ready – but whether our regulations and transport systems are.

Securing Swedish competitiveness now requires a coordinated system shift. The transformation roadmap serves as a strategic guide, describing how deployment can evolve up to 2030, with the aim of integrating automation as a natural part of Swedish mobility.

A Shared Direction Towards 2030 

In developing the transformation roadmap, perspectives from across the entire value chain have been gathered through dialogue with the public sector and industry players – such as vehicle manufacturers, mobility operators and technology suppliers – alongside analyses of international experiences. The roadmap highlights the interdependencies between governance, regulatory development and practical implementation.

• Sub-target 2027: By mid-2027 at the latest, fundamental national conditions must be clarified to enable a larger rollout of passenger transport.
• Vision 2030: Automated road transport shall be an integrated part of the Swedish transport system, contributing to safe, efficient and sustainable mobility across the country.

From Pilot Projects to Scalable Operation 

The transformation roadmap highlights a "structural impasse" in Sweden. While international players await national signals, public actors are calling for political direction. To break this impasse, the report proposes three parallel priority areas:

• National Governance: Clearer national vision and coordination are required to create predictability for investments.
• Modernised Regulation: Development of a modernised model for trials and introduction activities, serving as a regulatory bridge towards permanent operation.
• Ecosystem and Rollout: Establishment of model regions where public and private actors collaborate on business models and actual services.

Societal Benefit Through Integration 

The analysis shows that the greatest societal benefit arises when automated services are integrated into the broader transport system alongside public transport, shared mobility and new mobility services. At the same time, taxi and ride-hailing services are considered the most likely entry point for the technology, as they can both build operational experience in real-world deployment and serve as vital testbeds for future regulations and licensing processes.

"Fully automated mobility is not just about self-driving vehicles, but about how the entire transport system evolves as the technology enters real-world operation. Internationally, development is now moving from pilot projects to commercial implementation, which also means that regulations, distribution of responsibility and public roles need to develop in parallel. For Sweden, the next step is about creating actual conditions for deployment together with government agencies, cities, public transport and private mobility actors," says project leader, Thomas Axelsson from Lindholmen Science Park.

"We see great opportunities with the new technology if it is introduced from a systems perspective. It is crucial that many different actors cooperate and think innovatively to maintain and develop the competitiveness of Sweden and Europe. Our regulatory work is an important piece of the puzzle in this regard," says Katarina Norén, Head of Department at the Swedish Transport Agency.

About the Project 

The transformation roadmap is funded by Drive Sweden and is a collaboration between Lindholmen Science Park, the Swedish Transport Agency, the Swedish Transport Administration, the City of Stockholm, the City of Gothenburg, the City of Helsingborg, Region Västra Götaland, Västtrafik and AstaZero. The first sub-report is based on dialogues with actors from industry, cities and government authorities.