Autonomous Solutions
Autonomous Solutions
With the power to enhance efficiency, safety and reliability, autonomous transport operations are poised for exponential growth in the coming years. However, turning this forecast into a reality demands innovative and robust solutions that overcome significant barriers to adoption. This is precisely where Volvo Autonomous Solutions’ Autona offer comes into play.
Imagine a truck without a driver – perhaps a fully loaded vehicle on its way to a distant terminal, or one expertly navigating the demanding terrain of a mine. While the autonomous truck itself is striking, a truly effective and safe autonomous solution encompasses much more than just the self-driving vehicle. It requires sophisticated infrastructure, an intelligent virtual driver, and an efficient system for managing operations and maximizing uptime.
Building this complete ecosystem demands substantial upfront financial investment and specialized knowledge. This can be a daunting challenge, even for businesses eager to be early adopters of new technologies. Recognizing this, Volvo Autonomous Solutions introduces a Transport as a Service (TaaS) model, fundamentally changing how businesses access and leverage autonomous capabilities.
The Autona TaaS model is designed to be a powerful catalyst for the widespread adoption of autonomy in commercial transport. By eliminating the traditional hurdles, it enables businesses of all sizes to tap into the transformative benefits of autonomous operations, accelerating the industry’s progression.
One of the most significant benefits of TaaS is the ability for businesses to base their costs on delivered volume, distance, or time. This offers numerous advantages, particularly by eliminating the need for upfront truck and technology investment. By shifting from capital expenditure (CAPEX) to an operational expenditure (OPEX) model, businesses can benefit from scalable, low-risk solutions with predictable and transparent costs. And rather than investing in and managing autonomous vehicles themselves, they gain access to a fully managed platform run by Volvo, aligning incentives for efficient operations and mitigating risk in implementing new technology. A service including vehicle deployment, system integration, real-time monitoring, proactive maintenance, route optimization and wide-ranging training and safety systems with built-in redundancy.
The Autona offer is divided into two distinct but complementary services: Autona/earth, developed primarily for the mining sector, and Autona/freight, which is tailored for long-haul logistics and commercial freight. Let’s take a closer look.
Autona/earth is a purpose-built autonomous hauling solution designed for high-risk, high-output industrial environments, with mining as its primary focus. More than a vehicle, it’s a complete ecosystem that integrates autonomous trucks, site-specific infrastructure, fleet management systems, and continuous support, all delivered via the TaaS model.
One of our most notable real-world applications is at Brønnøy Kalk. Here, Autona/earth has been deployed to autonomously haul limestone along a 5-kilometer route from the mine to the crusher. Using a fleet of Volvo FH Autonomous trucks outfitted with Volvo’s Virtual Driver system and equipped with LiDAR, cameras, GNSS, and radar, the trucks navigate challenging industrial environments safely and efficiently – all without the need for a human driver onboard.
On top of reaching the milestone of one million tons of autonomously hauled material, Autona/earth has also helped us demonstrate gains in safety by removing drivers from potentially hazardous work environments and productivity with the possibility for near-continuous operation and optimized routing.
Autona/freight, meanwhile, is our autonomous solution for commercial freight transport and long-haul trucking. Like Autona/earth, it’s delivered as a comprehensive TaaS package, integrating Volvo’s autonomous truck platform with virtual driver systems such as the Aurora Driver or Waabi Driver.
Key features of the solution include the Volvo VNL Autonomous, a truck purpose-built for autonomy with redundant systems for braking, steering, energy, computing, and motion control. It also offers integration with digital fleet platforms for remote monitoring and coordination, and the capability to be supported by a network of terminals and logistics infrastructure.
We’re already hauling freight autonomously in Texas between Dallas and Houston with customers such as DHL. With real-world deployment, we demonstrate the capability of the system to support high-volume, long-haul logistics, while simultaneously improving safety and reliability.
Transport as a Service isn’t the only business model that will accelerate the adoption rate of autonomous vehicles in the commercial sector, but it is a steppingstone for businesses that want to explore how to build value long-term and enhance safety with the help of autonomy.
A model like this, offering predictable and transparent pricing, helps businesses to manage cash flow and preserve capital for core business activities – making it easier to step into the world of autonomy and ultimately support the growth of safe and efficient autonomous solutions around the world.
Discover more about how Autona can simplify your operations, driving your business toward a safer, more efficient future here:
