Volvo Autonomous Solutions (VAS), a Volvo Group company, is offering a new hub-to-hub autonomous transport solution, designed to serve four main customer segments: shippers, carriers, logistics service providers and freight brokers. Each solution will be configured to suit the business needs of the specific segments while addressing the growing demand for goods movement in North America.
VAS is also partnering with global logistics provider DHL Supply Chain as its first customer to pilot the hub-to-hub solution.
VAS, in collaboration with Aurora, has been working on a technical solution to offer autonomous trucks in the U.S., while also developing a complete transport-as-a-service (TaaS) solution for integrated and scalable autonomous freight capacity for highway applications. The autonomous transport solution will be configured to different customer-segment requirements to transport freight autonomously on major U.S. highway networks.
“Today, the increasing demand for freight is outgrowing capacity and solutions must be bolder, safer, smarter and more sustainable to move the world forward,” states Nils Jaeger, VAS’ president. “This is more than an autonomous truck – it is the Autonomous Transport Solution, which we believe will create value for the entire transportation ecosystem, all with optimized operations that reduce emissions and increase safety.”
The future deployment of the Class 8 Volvo VNL autonomous trucks will be DHL’s first TaaS operation globally.
“DHL is excited to partner with a leading-edge transportation company in Volvo Autonomous Solutions,” says Jim Monkmeyer, president of transportation at DHL Supply Chain North America. “We are full-speed-ahead on the adoption of the next wave of transportation solutions including autonomous trucks and confident that global leaders like Volvo will help to accelerate their development. We see huge potential in advanced technology solutions like autonomous trucks to address the needs of our customers around efficiency, reliability and increased capacity, which only hastened during the pandemic. But our collaboration aims higher than an autonomous truck – we hope our partnership with Volvo will help shape a safer and more sustainable future for all.”
VAS is working across all four customer segments to finalize strategic partnerships with key customers – segment leaders that will pilot the solution. These partnerships will allow VAS to understand the needs of each specific segment in real-world applications and develop and adapt the offerings based on inputs and findings experienced across the entire transportation network.
“We are built on the conviction that we can address the constraints the transportation industry faces and contribute to building a better society by offering scalable, autonomous freight capacity that can unlock new ways to move goods,” comments Sasko Cuklev, head of on-road solutions for VAS. “Volvo Autonomous Solutions is proud to partner with DHL, who we see as a world-class transportation company with shared culture and vision of innovation and sustainability.”
