VOLVO

AUTOMOTIVE AND ELECTRIC CARGO VEHICLE OF BRAND WILL ENTER IN SERVICE
VERA, the connected and autonomous electric freight vehicle of Volvo, will be part of an integrated solution to transport goods between a logistics center and a port terminal in Gothenburg, Sweden. This first operation is part of an agreement between Volvo Trucks and DFDS, a ferry and logistics company.
VERA will run in real operation on a connected system that has a continuous flow of goods between the DFDS logistics center and a port terminal.
Introduced in 2018, VERA is an electrically connected, stand-alone Volvo Trucks solution for high-repetition transportation operations in logistics centers, factories and ports. The vehicle is perfect for operating at short distances, transporting large volumes of goods with high precision. "Now we have the opportunity to implement VERA in an ideal setting and further develop its potential for other similar operations," says Mikael Karlsson, Volvo Trucks' VP of stand-alone solutions. The goal is to have a connected system that consists of several VERA vehicles monitored by a control tower. This will allow a continuous and constant transport flow, meeting demands for greater efficiency, flexibility and sustainability. Collaboration with DFDS is a first step in implementing VERA in an actual transportation operation on public roads, predefined within an industrial area.
"We want to be at the forefront of autonomous and connected transportation. This collaboration will help us develop an efficient, flexible and sustainable long-term solution to have autonomous vehicles that reach our gates, benefiting our customers, the environment and our businesses, "said Torben Carlsen, CEO of DFDS.
The experience will enable further development of the standalone transportation solution with advances in technology, operations management and infrastructure adaptations, so that it can be fully operational. In addition, all necessary safety precautions shall be taken to meet the requirements of the society for safe operation of autonomous transport. As Volvo Trucks gains more experience, VERA will have the potential to operate in similar applications as a complement to today's transportation solutions. "Autonomous transport with low noise levels and zero exhaust emissions has an important role to play in the future of logistics and will benefit both companies and society. We see this collaboration as an important beginning and we want to promote progress in this area. VERA may have a speed limit, but we do not. The tests are already going to start and we intend to implement the solution in the next few years, "added Mikael Karlsson.
Data:
- VERA will transport containers from the DFDS logistics center to a port terminal in Gothenburg, Sweden.
- The autonomous system is monitored by an operator in a control tower. He is responsible for the entire operation.
- The solution is suitable for transport with repetitive flows, with a top speed of 40 km / h.
- Infrastructure adaptations are part of the implementation of the total transport system solution, including automated gates at the terminals.
- Volvo Trucks and DFDS are the main players involved in this initiative. But there are several other partners helping to implement this first VERA operation.
- DFDS provides ferry and transport services in Europe and Turkey, generating annual revenues of about 17 billion Danish kroner. Its 8,000 employees work in ships and offices in 20 countries. DFDS is headquartered in Copenhagen and listed on the NASDAQ Copenhagen.
- The initiative will be carried out with the support of the Swedish innovation agency Vinnova, the Swedish transport administration and the Swedish energy agency, through the strategic vehicle research and innovation program FFI. Autonews