The Infrastructure Challenge: Financing the Foundations for Autonomous Transport

Paul Thompson • June 21, 2025

While self-driving vehicles often grab headlines, it’s the infrastructure that determines whether they succeed. From smart intersections to sensor-rich roadways, future mobility depends on foundations many cities have yet to build.


Three white cars are sitting next to each other on a white surface.


The Growing Need for Smart Transport Infrastructure


AVs require:


  • Digital mapping and high-precision GPS
  • Vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) communication
  • Upgraded road surfaces and signage
  • Charging stations for electric fleets


These assets aren’t cheap. And for many councils and developers, budget constraints delay implementation.


Asset Finance for Infrastructure Projects


Avro Finance provides structured finance for physical and digital infrastructure, allowing public and private partners to:


  • Spread the cost of infrastructure upgrades over time
  • Finance smart systems alongside fleet vehicles
  • Align payments with expected ROI or transport milestones


Financing What Matters


  • Smart traffic signal equipment
  • AV-compatible road striping/signage
  • Wi-Fi and 5G connectivity for fleet comms
  • On-site EV chargers and solar generation systems

By breaking the funding deadlock, asset finance can help innovation zones prepare for future mobility now.


Finance That Keeps Up With Change


Technology will evolve. Our flexible options allow infrastructure finance to adapt:


  • Short-term leases for trial-phase systems
  • Buy-back options for upgrading older equipment
  • Blended finance models for shared-risk public-private delivery


If your development site needs to prepare for smart transport, talk to our team today.


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