Politics · Innovation
Ministries announce innovation in euros. Results arrive later, if at all, and are measured in working systems. This page lists the transport innovation programmes documented in connection with Steffen Bilger and places each one on a simple scale from announcement to operation.
Section A — the scale
Every programme below sits at one stage as of 8 October 2026. Moving right means something real exists; it does not mean the programme has succeeded.
Money or a framework committed; no applicants yet, or approval pending.
eSAF double auction Green inland-waterway corridorsApplicants can bid or have bid; projects not yet chosen.
Autonomous vehicles in service DAK pioneer trains Zero-emission inland vesselsContracts signed, sites chosen or projects launched.
Truck fast-charging network DZM Munich and project RISE Methanol-capable hybrid driveThe Innovationsprogramm Logistik 2030 from 2019 is a strategy document rather than a funding line and is treated separately below.
Earlier record · logistics coordinator
The one innovation programme from Bilger's time as Parliamentary State Secretary that is documented with his name attached.
When the cabinet confirmed him as the federal government's Coordinator for Freight Transport and Logistics in April 2018, VerkehrsRundschau reported that one of his aims was to draw up an "Innovationsprogramm Logistik 2030" with the industry, with digitalisation as a key element. In March 2019 he presented its themes: digital infrastructure, multimodal traffic management, the workforce of the future, sustainability, intermodality, rail freight 4.0, innovative shipping and ports, air freight, digital roads, parking management and the last mile. He said: Wir wollen, dass wir Innovationsstandort und Logistikweltmeister bleiben.
("We want to remain a place of innovation and the world champion of logistics." Translation.) He also announced an innovation commission unter meiner Leitung
("under my leadership").
The programme itself was presented by Minister Andreas Scheuer on 4 September 2019, with ten fields of action. It is a strategy with goals and measures, not a single budget. Its later implementation was not traced for this page, so no results are claimed. The economic context is on Economy & Mobility.
Section C — since July 2026
Each entry separates the announced funding from what exists so far. Programmes announced by Parliamentary State Secretaries are attributed to them.
€14 million to buy, retrofit or lease vehicles with autonomous driving functions, for rural and outer-urban public transport, freight and model regions. Applications from 1 September to 15 October 2026. Bilger: Autonomes Fahren bietet die Chance, Mobilität neu zu denken.
("Autonomous driving offers the chance to rethink mobility.")
Call still open on 8 October 2026; no projects selected.
Munich becomes the fifth DZM site, with the research project RISE on automated mobility. Announced by Parliamentary State Secretary Ulrich Lange.
Project started; research results lie in the future.
Almost €36 million (PioDAK), run by the Federal Office for Logistics and Mobility, for retrofitting and operational testing, research and studies. Bilger called the coupling eine bedeutende Modernisierung für den Schienengüterverkehr
("a significant modernisation for rail freight").
Project outlines were due 14–25 September 2026. Selection not yet announced.
Detection systems operated by the air navigation service DFS at Germany's eight largest airports. Bilger: Wenn eine Drohne in der Nähe eines Flughafens auftaucht, müssen wir das frühzeitig wissen.
("If a drone appears near an airport, we need to know early.")
In operation at Berlin BER from 30 September 2026; Stuttgart and Hamburg online by 5 October, Leipzig/Halle due that week. The ministry described the first expansion stage as "on the home straight". Effectiveness has not been reported.
Germany, Austria and Luxembourg will jointly fund electricity-based aviation fuel through an auction that matches producers and buyers; Germany up to €2 billion, Austria and Luxembourg €60 million each. Bilger called eSAF auch eine industriepolitische Chance
("also an industrial-policy opportunity").
Subject to European Commission state-aid approval. No auction held yet.
About €1 billion for around 4,200 charging points at roughly 350 Autobahn sites, presented at IAA Transportation in Hanover.
Contracts for 124 unstaffed rest areas (836 charging points) awarded to five operators in summer 2026; site planning under way. A second tender for staffed service areas is in preparation.
€70 million for green inland-waterway corridors (10 Aug); up to €14 million for zero-emission inland vessels in the second funding line of the "Green Inland Shipping" programme (21 Aug); about €3.2 million towards a methanol-capable hybrid drive for the heavy-cargo ship PATRICIA, christened on 31 August; the ministry release was issued by Parliamentary State Secretary Christian Hirte.
One funded vessel christened. The corridor and vessel funding had not produced reported projects by 8 October 2026.
"Up to €2 billion" is a maximum. Actual payments depend on auction prices, applications and approvals.
A funding call shows intent. Only the selection of projects shows what will be built or tested.
Some programmes were announced by Parliamentary State Secretaries Lange or Hirte. The ministry acts as a whole, but this page does not credit those announcements to Bilger personally.
Several existed before July 2026: Green Inland Shipping is in its second funding line, and Munich is the DZM's fifth site. A new minister's announcement can be a continuation.
For the ministry-wide status of these and other measures, see Major initiatives; for the technologies, Future mobility and Digitalisation.