Volvo Autonomous Solutions (V.A.S.) has taken a major step in scaling its autonomous mining truck program by completing the first factory-assembled Volvo FH Autonomous at the Volvo Buses facility in Säffle, Sweden. The milestone signifies a transition from small-batch prototype construction to standardized factory production, supporting broader commercial deployment.
The Säffle plant has integrated V.A.S.’s autonomous technologies directly into the Volvo FH Autonomous platform, which is purpose-built for autonomous haulage rather than general transportation. Cecilia Ekström, Head of Autonomy Enabled Vehicles and Machines at V.A.S., said the shift is crucial for reliability in industrial operations. “Moving from R&D builds to factory assembly is essential for large-scale deployment,” she noted. “It ensures customers receive OEM-grade quality and reliability, even in challenging industrial environments.”
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The trucks are equipped with an advanced sensor suite, including LiDAR, radar, cameras and inertial measurement units, alongside high-performance computing hardware tasked with managing autonomous driving functions. The factory process supports higher production volumes while maintaining strict quality controls, enabling the vehicles to operate in harsh mining conditions.
Volvo’s autonomous mining technology has already been tested in active commercial settings. Earlier generations of the FH Autonomous platform have hauled more than one million tonnes at Brønnøy Kalk in Norway, and additional units operate at Boliden’s Garpenberg mine. The move to factory assembly will support a production ramp-up aimed at meeting growing demand across the Nordic mining industry.
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V.A.S. provides a full ecosystem around the autonomous trucks, including its Virtual Driver software, site infrastructure support, cloud-based transport management systems and uptime maintenance services. The company expects these integrated offerings to accelerate wider adoption of autonomous haulage solutions in the region.