A dedicated facility for testing new technology that can accelerate and improve global trade is set to open in the UK. Located at Teesside International Airport, the Teesside Digital Trade Testbed is a pioneering facility aiming to revolutionize global trade. It is the eighth test site to join CAM Testbed UK, a global hub for connected and self-driving vehicle innovation.
Logistics represents one of the most promising early market opportunities for those developing connected and automated mobility (CAM) solutions. By focusing heavily on this sector, the Teesside facility will seek to play a pivotal role in helping the UK strengthen its position as a global leader in the emerging CAM market.
By addressing key challenges in international commerce, the facility aims to help bridge gaps in existing systems, enabling seamless collaboration between businesses, governments and technology providers by providing practical, scalable advances that simplify and enhance global trade processes.
It has been developed through a collaboration between Teesside University, the Tees Valley Combined Authority, the International Centre for Digital Trade and Innovation (C4DTI), and Teesside Freeport, which provided £3.5m (US$4.7m) to support the initiative.
The testbed provides businesses with a secure, real-world environment to trial cutting-edge technologies, including artificial intelligence, machine learning, the Internet of Things (IoT), geofencing and decentralized digital identities.
By enabling companies to test and validate these innovations before deployment, the Digital Trade Testbed aims to help reduce risk, accelerate time-to-market and improve operational efficiency. Businesses will benefit from faster, more automated import/export processes, streamlined cross-border data exchange and enhanced supply chain visibility and interoperability, ultimately making it easier to trade internationally, comply with regulations and adopt future-ready digital trade solutions.
“We’re delighted to welcome the Teesside Digital Trade Testbed to CAM Testbed UK,” said Mark Cracknell, program director at Zenzic, which is a founding member of CAM Testbed UK. “Its focus on digital trade and logistics complements our existing network and reflects the future of mobility, one that is deeply connected with supply chains and global commerce. This facility will help accelerate real-world innovation, inform policy and support UK leadership in the digitalization of trade and transport.”
Prof. David Hughes, associate dean (research and innovation) at Teesside University’s School of Computing, Engineering & Digital Technologies, added, “Teesside University is committed to conducting groundbreaking research into the technologies that will catalyze change and support our industry partners to deliver significant global impact. This testbed puts the UK at the forefront of digital trade. With our expertise in digitalization and AI, we’re creating a test environment that can inform global best practice and enable smarter, safer and more efficient cross-border trade.”
Work is underway on the construction of the testing facility, with those involved hopeful that it will be fully operational in summer 2025.
As the latest addition to CAM Testbed UK, the Teesside Digital Trade Testbed will collaborate across the network to explore intersections between vehicle automation, logistics and digital systems, driving forward a connected, interoperable and future-ready mobility ecosystem. For more information on CAM Testbed UK, visit: https://camtestbed.uk