Research and Innovation background
- National Transport System Plan (2026-2037): Also known as the Transport 12 Plan, this is a 12 year strategic framework for developing Finland’s national transport system and covers roads, railways, aviation, and maritime transport. The plan was updated in 2025 and includes a focus on safety, security, efficiency and sustainability, all guided by economic efficiency.
- Roadmap to fossil-free transport: This roadmap lays out Finland’s long-term vision for eliminating fossil fuels from the transport sector. It outlines specific actions and milestones to achieve a completely fossil-free transport system by 2045, focusing on key innovation priorities with expanding the use of electric vehicles, hydrogen fuel cells, and biofuels, alongside improving public transport and investing in the necessary infrastructure to support these technologies.
Roadmap for Sustainable Heavy Road Transport (2035): Sector specific strategy focused on decarbonising freight and logistics through zero-emission heavy vehicles, hydrogen fuel deployment and new freight efficiency technologies.
(Last updated: 18/05/2026)
Institutional framework of transport research
- Ministry of Transport and Communications (LVM):Lead authority responsible for national transport policy, transport system planning and transport research and regulatory frameworks. The ministry is also responsible for the activities of its agencies and state-owned companies. The agencies include the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency (Traficom) and the Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency, while the state-owned companies include Traffic Management Company (Fintraffic), Arctia, Airport Rail, West Railway and East Railway.
- Finnish Transport and Communications Agency (Traficom):Regulatory authority responsible for transport safety, digital mobility regulation, licensing and the implementation of climate and innovation policies in transport. The agency’s work includes ‘Foresight activities’, which consider the future of transport, including the impacts of a digital society and cybersecurity, with the aim of helping companies and the authorities to prepare for the future.
- Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency: Responsible for planning and development of the national road, rail and waterway infrastructure and supports testing and deployment of new mobility technologies.
- VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland: Conducts mobility and transport research on automated mobility, sustainable fuels, smart fleets, traffic data analytics and electric powertrains.
Future Mobility Finland: A network of mobility and transport sector companies, authorities, and research organisations, Future Mobility Finland promotes the development of autonomous mobility, low-emission maritime transport and multimodal services. It aims to bring together companies, research organisations and government agencies to promote smart mobility for Finland.
(Last updated: 18/05/2026)
Funding Sources and Support Initiatives
- Research Council of Finland (RCF): The RCF operates a range of research programmes, through which academic institutions and research centres can secure funding for transport-related research. Funding for each includes transport systems modelling, energy transition in transport and sustainable mobility research.
Tesi (Finnish Industry Investment Ltd): A state-owned investment company focused on driving economic growth through investments. Tesi invests in various companies operating in the energy sector to support the clean transition in transportation, as well as in companies providing digital solutions for the transport sector.
(Last updated: 18/05/2026)