The Volvo Vera autonomous truck resembles a sportscar but is a self-driving electric truck from Volvo Trucks. Vera uses the same drivetrain packs as Volvo’s electric trucks.
The self-driving vehicle will follow a pre-determined route, some of which will be on public roads while transporting shipping containers which is a small distance.
Volvo Trucks autonomous vehicle Vera will help transport goods from a logistics center to a port terminal. Vera will be part of a connected and integrated solution to transport goods from a logistics center to port terminals in Gothenburg, Sweden.
Vera is a noiseless truck with no driver’s seat or a cab, equipped with sensors, and is completely emission-free. Vera was first presented by Volvo Trucks in 2018 at the international automotive exhibition.
It’s the first electric, connected, and self-driving solution for tasks in logistics centers, factories, and ports, suitable for short-distance goods transport.
Vera will be a part of a much larger connected system that will operate autonomously but will be monitored by a central operator in a control tower, optimizing traffic flow and keeping operations running with a limited speed of around 40 km/h (24 mph). Volvo’s Vera can pull loads weighing up to 32 tonnes and can be attached to any standard trailer
“Vera may have a speed limit, but we don’t. Testing has already started and we intend to implement the solution within the coming years” said Mikael Karlsson, Vice President of Autonomous Solutions at Volvo Trucks.
Volvo Vera is the result of a new partnership between Volvo Trucks and the ferry and logistics firm DFDS. The connected system will allow goods to flow continuously from a DFDS logistics center to an APM Terminals port facility. Utilizing such a source of transport will be a more beneficial and easier way of transferring goods from one place to another.