Volvo has unveiled its first-ever production-ready self-driving truck, the Volvo VNL Autonomous, at the ACT Expo in Las Vegas. The truck, based on Volvo’s VNL Class 8 semi for long-haul transportation, is described as “purpose designed and purpose built” for autonomous operation.
The Volvo VNL Autonomous utilizes hardware and software from Aurora Innovation, a Pittsburgh-based company. The integration includes Aurora’s Aurora Driver autonomous technology, which consists of AI software, dual computers, lidar, high-resolution cameras, and radar. Aurora Driver has been extensively tested, accumulating 1.5 million commercial miles on public roads and billions of miles in virtual testing.
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Safety is a key focus of the Volvo VNL Autonomous, with redundant systems for steering, braking, communication, computation, power management, energy storage, and vehicle motion management. Nils Jaeger, president of Volvo Autonomous Solutions, highlighted the significance of the truck’s unveiling, stating that it marks the first step in Volvo’s standardized global autonomous technology platform.
The Volvo VNL Autonomous will be manufactured at Volvo’s New River Valley plant in Virginia, its largest and most advanced facility. While the timeline for deployment on public roads with safety drivers has not been confirmed, the long-term plan is for the truck to operate on established freight corridors in a “hub to hub” model, with humans taking over at starting and transfer hubs for local journeys.
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Sterling Anderson, Aurora co-founder, emphasized the benefits of the collaboration, stating, “This truck combines Aurora’s industry-leading self-driving technology with Volvo’s best-in-class truck, designed specifically for autonomy, making it a must-have for any transport provider that wants to strengthen and grow their business.”
The unveiling of the Volvo VNL Autonomous follows the recent reveal of an all-electric autonomous semi “technology demonstrator” from Daimler Truck and Torc Robotics, underscoring the accelerating competition in the self-driving trucking sector.
