From Street to Frontline – How Drive-by-Wire Is Transforming Logistics and Tactical Mobility
Mobility under fire – why movement must be reimagined
In today’s theatres of war and crisis, logistics is everything. Transporting fuel, supplies, wounded personnel or critical infrastructure in time-sensitive, high-risk environments can mean the difference between collapse and control. But: human-operated convoys are vulnerable. Roads are ambushed. Drivers are targets.
What if vehicles could operate independently — with no human exposure?
And what if this same technology could support civil protection, disaster relief or emergency public transit in peacetime?
That’s where Drive-by-Wire becomes a game-changer.
Between remote control and real-time response: A new role for mobility
The war in Ukraine and recent disaster response scenarios highlight a new reality: vehicles must move smarter, safer, and autonomously. With Drive-by-Wire and autonomous capability, we can achieve:
- Unmanned supply missions in dangerous or denied zones
- Casualty evacuation without risking medical personnel
- Emergency public transport during natural disasters or cyberattacks
- Urban convoy operations using platooning for efficient resupply
“Drive-by-Wire doesn’t just make vehicles more efficient. It redefines them as autonomous platforms — flexible, modular, mission-ready.”
– Danfoss Power Solutions, Steering Portfolio E-Book, 2021
Drive-by-Wire: The enabler of real autonomy
Real autonomy is not just about sensors or AI software. It’s about secure, certified, and redundant vehicle control. Drive-by-Wire replaces mechanical linkages with electronic control signals — enabling automation and remote operation. NX NextMotion by Arnold NextG is engineered to meet this need:
- Fully redundant architecture (ASIL D, SIL3)
- Cross-platform compatibility
- Easy integration into legacy or new vehicle fleets
- Resilience in case of signal failure or cyber threats
Dual-Use Approach: Civilian Developed, Militarily Transferable
The original development of the NX NextMotion platform targeted safety-critical applications in the civilian sector – for example, autonomous operations during natural disasters, infrastructure disruptions, or urban crisis logistics. However, the robust, certified architecture is equally suitable for military scenarios and can be seamlessly transferred to meet tactical mobility requirements.
Typical applications in the civilian environment:
- Evacuation during floods, fires, or earthquakes
- Crisis operations in public transport during blackouts or cyberattacks
- Secure supply of critical infrastructures such as hospitals or data centers
- Post-crisis mobility for reconstruction after disasters
Arnold NextG is developing modular platform solutions together with partners from industry, defense, and the public sector that meet the highest safety requirements – addressing both civilian and military needs. Made in Germany.
From convoy to command unit – the next-gen use case
Imagine a convoy of six vehicles transporting medical supplies into a contested zone. Only the lead and rear vehicles are crewed. The others are unmanned, linked through Drive-by-Wire and controlled via remote operation. In case of attack or obstruction, each vehicle can respond autonomously — rerouting, stopping or evacuating on command.
This is not future fiction. This is current capability. Enabled by Drive-by-Wire.
Conclusion: movement becomes a mission - and drive-by-wire sets the pace
Mobility is no longer a purely logistical factor - it is strategic. Those who can move autonomously gain speed, reduce risks and increase operational flexibility. And those who master drive-by-wire can control mobility intelligently and safely - wherever people would be at risk. NX NextMotion makes exactly that possible. In real time. In any situation. Developed in Germany - for Europe's resilience.
