Watch: Volvo Trucks' Autonomous Port Transport

Published Jun 13, 2019 4:04 AM by The Maritime Executive

Volvo Trucks' electric, connected and autonomous vehicle Vera will form part of an integrated solution to transport goods from DFDS' logistics center to an APM terminal in the Port of Gothenburg, Sweden.

In 2018, Volvo Trucks presented its first electric, connected and autonomous solution, designed for repetitive assignments in logistics centers, factories and ports. The next step in development of the technology is Vera, suited for short distances transporting large volumes of goods with high precision on public roads.

The vehicle has a maximum speed of 40 km/hr (25 miles/hr), and the aim is to implement a connected system consisting of several Vera vehicles monitored by a control tower. With automated gates at the terminal, this will enable a seamless and constant flow and is a first step towards implementing Vera in a real transport assignment on pre-defined public roads in an industrial area.

The initiative is carried out with support from the Swedish Innovation Agency Vinnova, the Swedish Transport Administration and the Swedish Energy Agency through the Strategic vehicle research and innovation program FFI.