Volvo Autonomous Solutions announced it will offer a new hub-to-hub autonomous transport solution, designed to serve four main customer segments: shippers; carriers; logistics service providers; and freight brokers.

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 solution for integrated and scalable autonomous freight capacity for highway applications.

The Autonomous Transport Solution will be configured to the different customer-segment requirements to transport freight autonomously on major U.S. highway networks.

DHL Supply Chain to Become First Customer

VAS is working across all four customer segments to finalize strategic partnerships with what its calling “key customers” — segment leaders who will pilot the Autonomous Transport 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. 

The first “key customer” to pilot the offering in the logistics service providers customer segment will be DHL Supply Chain. The future deployment of the Class 8 Volvo VNL autonomous trucks will be DHL’s first TaaS operation globally, VAS officials said in a press release.

“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,” said Jim Monkmeyer, president of transportation for DHL Supply Chain North America.  “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.”

The company says it will continue developing a solution that will create a pathway for market adoption.

“Together we [VAS and DHL] want to lead the way in the ongoing transformation that is taking place within the industry, and we will look beyond just exploring new technologies on the truck itself to ensure we develop new solutions and ways of working for the entire transportation ecosystem,” said Sasko Cuklev, head of on-road solutions for Volvo Autonomous Solutions.