Defence Autonomous Convoys for the German Armed Forces

The InterRoC (Interoperable Robotic Convoy) research and technology project aims to enable automated transport vehicles for the German Armed Forces, including certification testing for military applications.

As part of the Interoperable Robotic Convoy (InterRoC) research project, the German Armed Forces has commissioned Quantum Systems to develop and test unmanned convoy solutions for military logistics. The goal of the project is to enable highly automated truck convoys for use in demanding military scenarios while simultaneously investigating the foundations for a standardised certification process for autonomous transport vehicles within the German Armed Forces.

As part of InterRoC, Quantum Systems’ AI and autonomy solutions will be integrated into military vehicle platforms from Daimler Truck. In the future, the vehicles are expected to be capable of conducting convoy operations automatically or via teleoperation, even under difficult operational conditions and with limited communication infrastructure. 

Through this project, the German Armed Forces is addressing one of the key challenges facing modern armed forces: in the future, significantly greater logistical performance will have to be achieved with limited personnel resources. As the planned expansion of the force proceeds, material, transport, and supply requirements will increase proportionally, while qualified personnel will remain in short supply. Against this backdrop, the automation of logistical processes is becoming increasingly important from a strategic perspective. 

Automated and semi-automated convoys can help allocate logistical resources more efficiently, deploy available personnel more effectively, and reduce the operational burden on service members. At the same time, they enable supply missions even in high risk or contested areas, thereby contributing to the resilience and sustainability of modern armed forces. 

“The massive expansion of the Bundeswehr’s logistics force can only be achieved through highly automated and autonomous ground vehicles. The Bundeswehr needs a scalable and resilient logistics system that functions reliably even with limited personnel resources,” says Hendrik Kramer, Vice President of the Land Domain at Quantum Systems. “We view autonomous convoy solutions as a fundamental component of Germany’s role as a logistics hub and are proud to be a partner of the Bundeswehr in this area.”

Quantum Systems is contributing its expertise in the certification of autonomous ground vehicles to the project. In 2025, Europe’s first TÜV-certified autonomous truck was delivered. Daimler Truck will provide the vehicle platform and industrial infrastructure with its trucks. Together with Quantum Systems, the goal is to develop a comprehensive technological system that combines military requirements with state-of-the-art AI and vehicle autonomy. 

Daniel Zittel, Chief Sales Officer, Daimler Truck Defence: “In the InterRoC research project, we are investigating how our proven vehicle technology can be combined with Quantum Systems’ AI-based autonomy functions to increase the scope, efficiency, and resilience of Bundeswehr logistics. Through a collaborative approach, we aim to drive the development of networked, highly automated, and eventually autonomous logistics solutions, thereby laying the foundation for the next generation of military transport and supply systems.” 

In addition to technical development, the research project includes an investigation into a standardised certification and safety process for automated military transport vehicles. The findings obtained through InterRoC are intended to serve, in collaboration with the Bundeswehr Automotive Center (ZKfWBw), as the basis for future autonomous vehicle programs within the Bundeswehr.