Logistics giant DHL is the first company to pilot a hub-to-hub autonomous transport system developed by Swedish car maker Volvo.

Volvo’s technology is designed to serve four segments: shippers; carriers; logistics service providers; and freight brokers. Each will be configured to suit the business needs of the segments while addressing the growing demand for goods movement in North America.

Volvo, in collaboration with Aurora, has been working on technology to offer autonomous trucks in the USA, while developing a complete transport-as-a-service (TaaS) offering for integrated and scalable autonomous freight capacity for highway applications.

“Today, the increasing demand for freight is outgrowing capacity and solutions must be bolder, safer, smarter and more sustainable to move the world forward,” said Nils Jaeger, president of Volvo Autonomous Solutions. “This is more than an autonomous truck, it is autonomous transport which we believe will create value for the entire transportation ecosystem, all with optimised operations that reduce emissions and increase safety.”

This is the first step in positioning a dedicated North American operation that is rooted in global experience with autonomous technology applications.

DHL and Volvo have a long history of working together, and this collaboration will help pave the way for Volvo’s logistics service providers customer segment. The partnership is rooted in a common goal to bring best-in-class technology with efficiency, safety and quality to autonomous freight for North America and beyond.

The future deployment of the Class 8 Volvo VNL autonomous trucks will be DHL’s first TaaS operation globally. As a diversified logistics service provider and carrier with a holistic view of global supply chains, DHL is a suitable early adopter of autonomous truck technology.

“DHL is excited to partner with a leading-edge transportation company in Volvo Autonomous Solutions,” said Jim Monkmeyer, president of transportation for DHL Supply Chain in North America. “We are full-speed-ahead on the adoption of the next wave of transportation including autonomous trucks and confident that global leaders like Volvo will help to accelerate their development. We see huge potential in advanced technology 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.”

Sasko Cuklev, head of on-road technology for Volvo Autonomous Solutions, added: “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. 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. Together we 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.”

Volvo is working across all four customer segments to finalise partnerships with segment leaders who will pilot the technology. These partnerships will help Volvo 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.