Adam Olkusz, a 25-year-old unemployed man of no fixed address is accused of one charge of causing death by dangerous driving.
The collision between junctions 26 and 27 happened at around 1.50am on December 9 and involved multiple vehicles including a Peugeot car, a Scania lorry, a DAF artic, a Mercedes lorry and a Romanian lorry.
Vehicles came crashing through the central reservation causing road closures for many hours.
Bhagwant Singh, a 39-year-old man from Leicestershire, died and four other people were injured and required hospital treatment at the time.
Olkusz entered no plea and was remanded in custody until his next appearance at Chelmsford Crown Court on Tuesday, January 27.
A 33-year-old man from Leicester was also arrested following the incident on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving.
He is on bail pending further enquiries until Wednesday, April 8.
