This is the English translation of a podcast interview conducted in Italian by radio VENETO24 on Friday June 5, 2026
(Riccardo Sandre): The logistics of the future, as told by Interporto Padova and Green Logistics Expo. Good morning everyone, I am Riccardo Sandre, here with you for a new episode of “The Logistics of the Future.” Today we will talk about strategic infrastructure, specifically the fundamental highways in a country like Italy where, according to the most recent ISTAT data, road transport clearly dominates national logistics, covering 92.1% of the total goods moved by land. This percentage has seen further growth in transport volumes in recent years, despite actions to promote other modes of transport, especially rail and “highways of the sea”.
The Italian highway network has an extension of about 8,000 km. The main operator in the sector is Aspi (Autostrade per l’Italia), which manages about 3,000 km of the network under state concession, of which approximately 1,900 km concern the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T). However, there are a total of about thirty concessionaire companies, largely privately funded, managing highway stretches throughout the peninsula.
Since April 2024, the company Autostrade dello Stato (ADS) was established. It is an “in-house” company of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport, entirely controlled by the Ministry of Economy and Finance. ADS—the acronym for the company—currently controls over 31.7% of the Italian Frejus Highway Tunnel Company, 35% of the Astico highway, 50% of Concessioni Autostradali Venete (known as CAV), and 32.15% of the Italian company for the Mont Blanc Tunnel. ADS was born with the objective of having direct public control over the management, maintenance, and development of a portion of the toll highways. This is an important development compared to past decades, and we are talking about it today with the President of Autostrade dello Stato, Carlo Vaghi. Good morning President, thank you for being with us.
(Carlo Vaghi): Good morning, and thank you for the introduction.
(Sandre): Let’s start with ADS, which not everyone necessarily knows well. What are the company’s objectives and why does its creation represent an important novelty in the management of highways in Italy?
(Vaghi): It represents a novelty because it is the first company established at the state level with the precise objective of being an “in-house” concessionaire for toll highways. “In-house” means a company entirely owned and controlled by the Ministry of Economy that can manage highway concessions when they expire, or when there are new highways built with public capital. For now, Autostrade dello Stato is a holding company that has stakes in the four concessionaires mentioned earlier.
(Sandre): Our country’s highway network has its highlights and shadows, and the choice to establish this company testifies to this in some way. What is the overall state of the network and what are the main planned strengthening interventions for the future?
(Vaghi): I could tell you about a highway network that needs continuous maintenance and continuous inspections of the tens of thousands of engineering structures (“opere d’arte”) scattered throughout the 8,000 km of the network. On the subject of inspections, we have practically built an industry in Italy following the Morandi Bridge incident. I could also speak of the need to complete new highway stretches that have been expected for decades, such as the Genoa bypass (Gronda di Genova), the Bologna bypass, and so on.
To do all this, capital is needed, as is a congruent investment period—to be clear, it needs to be longer than the 15 years provided for by certain European regulations. There must also be adequate remuneration for those who come to invest, whether from Italy or abroad. All this must be balanced against a level of tolls that cannot be raised at every turn, because otherwise, it would discourage demand, users would overflow onto local roads, or it would create inflation due to increased transport costs. This dilemma is very difficult to address. The government in the last five years has passed a courageous reform law, the 2024 Competition Law, but much remains to be done, especially in dialogue with Europe, which has the final word regarding concessions in all sectors.
(Sandre): Speaking of investments, Autostrade dello Stato also focuses heavily on technological innovation and digitalization, not only for maintenance but also to provide new services to users. What can you tell us about this, especially regarding freight transport?
(Vaghi): Autostrade dello Stato has launched a three-year program of innovative interventions financed by the Ministry of Infrastructure. In March, on the CAV network, we carried out a pilot project for emergency management with the fire brigade. We have established the Strive platform, which will systematize projects for network monitoring and surveillance, the use of drones for diagnostic mapping, smart construction sites, and traffic monitoring. We intend to manage this suite of projects with a common platform, as all these devices will remain the property of Autostrade dello Stato to form a technological and innovative backbone.
How can this impact logistics and freight traffic? Freight transport travels on highways for 86% to 90% of the time, depending on the statistics. The highway has a fundamental role. A highway that remains just a “ribbon of asphalt” in the future would not be doing its job well; its role would become obsolete within a few years. Highways must be places where technology is at the service of the user, where users driving innovative vehicles receive information directly in the vehicle. The user is also the haulier who must travel and, above all, stop on the highway in safe conditions, with access to information and the ability to book a parking area without clogging service areas or their access lanes, which can be quite dangerous. So, it is a role that is not passive, but one of service to logistics, work quality, and the quality of life for drivers.
(Sandre): President, we have very few seconds left, but give me one final thought. Can we ever hope to move past the toll booth system and have free-flow highways, even if they are still tolled?
(Vaghi): Certainly, because technology allows it. We will have to try to make concessionaires more independent and effectively penalize those who break the rules.
(Sandre): And with that hope and perspective for the future, we close this episode of “The Logistics of the Future.” Thanks to the President of Autostrade dello Stato, Carlo Vaghi. Greetings from Riccardo Sandre, Franco Tanel, and the entire editorial staff.
(Vaghi): Thank you.
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