November 28, 2018 Vol. 15 No. 23

Here’s a cool development, and not just because of the technology involved.

Volvo Trucks has announced it’s providing an autonomous transport answer to the challenge of moving limestone for Bronnoy Kalk AS, a mine operator near Velfjord, Norway. Six FH16 tractors — and they’re 100% autonomous — will pull dump trailers from an open pit mine to a crusher at a nearby port. It’s a five-kilometer trip that includes two long tunnels between the mine itself and the crusher. Testing has been successful, says Volvo, and it’s continuing. The fleet will be fully operational by the end of 2019.

The vehicles are fully autonomous and are managed from the outside by the operator of the wheel loader. They run 24/7.

The agreement follows other recent — and successful — automation projects involving mining, sugar cane harvesting, and refuse collection. But this one represents an interesting first for Volvo. Rather than buying the autonomous trucks, Brønnøy Kalk is instead buying an entire transport service package — specifically the transport of the limestone between the two hubs.

Instead of selling or leasing the trucks, Volvo will operate the vehicles itself. The mine will pay for the transport services by tonne delivered. Seems to me that’s a useful innovation that we might well see elsewhere.

“This is an important step for us,” says Raymond Langfjord, managing director of the mine. “The competition in the industry is tough. We are continuously looking to increase our efficiency and productivity long-term, and we have a clear vision of taking advantage of new opportunities in technology and digital solutions.  We were searching for a reliable and innovative partner that shares our focus on sustainability and safety. Going autonomous will greatly increase our competitiveness in a tough global market.”

“We are proud to be able to present an autonomous solution which will meet the challenges of our customers both in terms of safety, reliability and profitability,” adds Claes Nilsson, president of Volvo Trucks. “The global transport needs are continuously changing at a very high pace and the industry is demanding new and advanced solutions to stay ahead. Our aim is to be the leader of the development of products and services to respond to these demands.”

Watch a video of the Norwegian transport operation here.

IS PLATOONING A NO-GO? Martin Daum, head of Daimler’s global truck and bus business, cast doubt on the value of platooning a couple of months back. As the keynote speaker at the annual Heavy Duty Manufacturers Association Breakfast during the IAA show in Hannover, Germany, he said that trucking is in an “analyze, failure and learning” mode in adapting new technology. Not all new initiatives prove to be worth it, he said, and truck platooning may be one such technological dead end.