This report examines how the expansion of cycling infrastructure outside urban areas in Sweden can be accelerated through simplified and resource-efficient solutions. The project, conducted between 2022 and 2024, addressed recurring challenges reported by municipalities: difficulties in securing land access for cycling infrastructure, high construction costs, and an unfavorable division of responsibilities between state and local actors, resulting in long lead times and limited progress. Through policy and regulatory analysis, stakeholder workshops, and practical testbeds, the study evaluated cost-effective and resource-efficient solutions. Tested concepts included modular wooden cycle paths and alternative materials designed to reduce environmental impact and support circular design principles. The findings confirm a strong demand for improved cycling infrastructure to connect villages and small towns and to provide safe routes for commuting and recreation. However, expansion is hindered by complex land access processes, strict design requirements, and financing models poorly adapted to rural conditions. Current regulations offer limited flexibility, and uncertainty about permissible and safe solutions creates hesitation among municipalities. The testbeds provided insights into how procurement practices, internal processes, and technical specifications influence cost structures. Prefabricated solutions show potential to reduce environmental impact and enable reversible installations, but cost advantages depend on adapted standards and clearer guidelines. The report concludes that accelerating the development of rural cycling infrastructure requires clearer and more flexible legal frameworks for land access and cycle path design, collaborative planning models between municipalities and national authorities, and funding mechanisms that better reflect the realities faced by small and medium-sized municipalities. These measures would support faster, more cost-effective expansion of cycling infrastructure and contribute to Sweden’s climate and mobility objectives.

The paper discusses the advantages of utilizing winter conditions to increase the weight tolerance of frozen roads while safeguarding vulnerable bridges. It introduces the concept of geofencing as a tool to ensure that heavy trucks reduce their speed when crossing these bridges. A tool that can be useful for all bridges. Geofencing technology was tested in a research project during winter 22/23 involving trucks from Volvo and Scania. The project was financed by the Swedish Transport Administration. Two geofencing technologies were evaluated: Scania’s “active” geofencing, which allowed the truck to automatically maintain the designated speed limit over the bridge, and Volvo’s “passive” geofencing, where the driver received warnings and had to manually slow down if necessary. The results indicated that active geofencing effectively ensured trucks adhered to speed limits and drivers generally had positive experiences with geofencing. Regarding policy and regulation, the paper explores the feasibility of implementing geofencing technology and suggests that current legislation can accommodate it. Recommendations are made for regulations based on functional requirements and self-monitoring systems to ensure compliance. In conclusion, the paper demonstrates that geofencing technology can effectively protect bridges and offer substantial societal benefits. It also outlines potential policy and regulatory frameworks for the widespread adoption of this technology to safeguard bridges and optimize transportation.

Utvecklingen av automatiserad körning går allt snabbare och förväntas på sikt påverka både transportsektorn och samhället i stort. Transportstyrelsen har därför gett RISE och VTI i uppdrag att analysera inriktningen av ett framtida svenskt regelverk för automatiserad körning, särskilt inför en möjlig marknadsintroduktion av typgodkända fordon i obegränsade serier från omkring 2027. Syftet har varit att identifiera vilka regeländringar som kan behövas för att säkerställa trafiksäkerhet och skapa förutsättningar för samhällsnytta och affärsutveckling.

This paper describes our insights from a collaboration project on digital and machine-readable traffic rules – what it is, why it matters and how we get there. Traffic rules are typically written in text intended for humans. We argue that traffic rules, in the future, must be understood by machines as well. In a digital world we need data on traffic rules. Road users, citizens, companies, and other actors in our society would benefit from such data. Innovative forms of transportation, not least automated vehicles, depend on such data. Relying on e.g. road signs is not sufficient for automated vehicles in order to follow all traffic rules. In the project, we investigated what is needed to reach machine-readable traffic rules in Sweden. The work was conducted as a policy lab. We found that the way forward is an amendment to the legislation that requires decision-making authorities to digitalize their traffic regulations

Active driver support for safe passage at sensitive infrastructure

For centuries, winter roads have been used to transport heavier loads. When the road structure is frosted, it can handle more weight than during the rest of the year. However, the bridges are not affected by the cold weather, and they are therefore still vulnerable to increased loads. How can we allow increased load on frosted roads while protecting bridges? In this report, we present a work from a project with the idea of using geofencing to protect the bridges. The geofence technology ensures that the truck travels at a lower speed over the bridge. The bridge (depending on its construction) can then withstand loads of up to 74 tons, as reduced speed reduces the dynamic loads on the bridge. If the road operator can get guarantees that all vehicles will maintain a lower speed over the bridge, heavier traffic can be allowed when the roads are frosted. Of course, this technology would also be advantageous to use in general when it is important that speed and weigh

The adoption rate of zero tailpipe emission road vehicles (ZEVs) is insufficient in Sweden and the EU for the 2030 greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction targets to be met. The average life length of internal combustion engines vehicles (ICEVs) is 10-17 years and there is a higher export rate of used EVs than ICEVs, two factors that essentially lock in a large portion of emissions for nearly two decades.

This pre-study explores the potentials and challenges of retrofitting of ICEVs with electric powertrains (E-retrofit), a complementary path to fleet decarbonization. It focuses on determining vehicle types and applications where conversion is cost-effective, environmentally beneficial, and technically feasible.

Today, E-retrofitting is a niche industry, foremost focused on special-purpose vehicles with costly bodywork or equipment, such as off-road machinery, city buses, fire trucks, and last-mile delivery vans. Classic cars with high affection values that have been e-retrofitted illustrate that E-retrofit is technically feasible, though these enthusiast conversions are typically performed at high economic cost per vehicle and with negligible impact on overall fleet emissions.

The E-retrofit process includes selecting a donor vehicle, calculating energy needs, assessing total cost of ownership, designing and installing an electric drivetrain, and re-certifying the vehicle for road use. Various stakeholders are involved in this process, including E-retrofit kit developers who can develop and sell generic or vehicle model specific solutions. However, there are significant technical and cost barriers, including the integration of proprietary OEM vehicle control units (VCUs), often requiring manual adjustments and software modifications. Existing ICEV architectures also complicate battery placement, potentially affecting range, weight distribution, and needs for reinforcements, making re- certification and homologation more complex.

Even with these challenges, E-retrofitting presents a significant opportunity. In addition to the potential to achieve a greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions payback within just a few years, it helps conserve valuable materials and resources from donor vehicles, creates local jobs, and can accelerate the phase-out of fossil fuels, contributing to improved energy independence and Europe’s trade balance, even if batteries are imported.

Results from this pre-study indicate that vehicle applications with a high utilization rate, including city buses, light commercial delivery vans and off-road machinery, show strong potential for economic, technical and environmental viability for E-retrofit, compared to continued ICEV use or new BEVs. Cars, which represent the bulk of EU road transport emissions, are at present challenging to E-retrofit economically.

Finally, we recommend further investigation into the inclusion of both used EVs and E-retrofitted vehicles in the upcoming Swedish EV incentive for 2026, along with legislative changes that would allow OEMs to account for E-retrofitted vehicles in their GHG reporting within the EU. Combined with more streamlined re-certification processes, these measures could help scale up E-retrofitting as a growing industry segment in Sweden.

Legislation plays a crucial role in enabling the safe and effective integration of automated vehicles (AVs) into the transport system. To realise the full potential of the technology, clear and well-designed regulations are needed—regulations that promote innovation, reduce risks, and build public trust.Since vehicles are sold on a global market and traffic often crosses national borders, regulatory harmonisation is essential. Several regulatory initiatives are already underway internationally and within the EU, and more are expected in the coming years.In light of this, the project Network Automated Driving Regulations—one of the few Swedish research initiatives in the field of vehicle automation with a clear focus on policy and regulation—has, over a two-year period, brought together stakeholders from industry, public authorities, and research institutes in quarterly roundtable discussions. The aim has been to create a forum for joint analysis of regulatory challenges, experience sharing, and knowledge exchange.The project’s outcomes can support continued development within both industry and public authorities, and contribute to the evolution of well-functioning regulatory frameworks and smoother collaboration—both nationally and internationally.The project also aligns with Drive Sweden’s vision of a safe, sustainable, and accessible mobility system.The network is currently exploring the possibility of continuing into a second project phase

This report provides an overview of regulatory frameworks and governance mechanisms for mobility data sharing in Europe. It analyses governance principles, organisational, legal, and technical challenges, and reviews local implementation sites using Ostrom’s principles. The report also examines EU legislation relevant to mobility data spaces, including GDPR, Data Act, Data Governance Act, AI Act, and ITS Directive, highlighting their implications for interoperability, data access, and compliance. Recommendations focus on embedding governance and legal considerations into the design of European Mobility Data Space (EMDS) to ensure trust, transparency, and sustainability.

Den här rapporten är framtagen med ekonomiskt stöd från Trafikverket Skyltfonden. Ståndpunkter, slutsatser och arbetsmetoder i rapporten reflekterar författaren och överensstämmer inte med nödvändighet med Trafikverkets ståndpunkter, slutsatser och arbetsmetoder inom rapportens ämnesområde. Automatiserad körning har potential att transformera transportsystemet och förbättra trafiksäkerheten, men tekniken medför också nya utmaningar som måste hanteras för att möjliggöra en säker och ansvarsfull integrering av automatiserade fordon i transportsystemet. Eftersom automatiserad körning är en snabbt utvecklande teknik är vår förståelse av dess konsekvenser fortfarande ofullständig. Trots detta finns ett tydligt behov av internationella regelverk för att främja trafiksäkerheten. På global nivå har FN inlett ett arbete med att harmonisera trafikregler för automatiserad körning. Projektet ”Inspel till nytt legalt instrument om säker användning av automatiserade fordon” bidrar med forskningsbaserade insikter till det pågående internationella arbetet genom att identifiera säkerhetsrelaterade frågor som kan behöva hanteras i framtida rättsliga instrument. Givet teknikens komplexitet och nyhetsgrad kommer dock juridiska och tekniska analyser sannolikt att förbli ofullständiga, och oförutsedda utmaningar kan förväntas uppstå. Rapporten belyser ett brett spektrum av säkerhetsutmaningar kopplade till centrala funktioner för säker automatiserad körning. Genom att analysera dessa utmaningar stödjer projektet FN:s arbete med att utveckla globala principer och regler för säker automatiserad körning, och bidrar även till nationell regelutveckling.

This policy brief presents key insights from two years of quarterly roundtable discussions within the Network Automated Driving Regulations, a collaborative forum bringing together industry, public authorities, and researchers to address regulatory challenges related to automated driving. The discussions identified a need for a coherent Swedish legal framework for the deployment of automated vehicles, complementing ongoing international regulatory developments at the UN and EU levels. Key issues include adapting traffic and liability rules for automated driving, regulatory clarity for remote operations, improved conditions for cross-border AV testing, and the digitalisation of traffic regulations. The network also highlighted the need to reassess existing traffic rules designed for human drivers, such as requirements related to warning triangles, interactions with police and emergency services, and other driver responsibilities. The findings underline the importance of continued collaboration between industry, authorities, and research organisations to support the development of appropriate regulatory frameworks for automated driving.