Vera, Volvo Trucks’ electric, connected, and autonomous vehicle has been given its first assignment: to transport goods from a logistics center to a port terminal in Gothenburg, Sweden.
The result of a new collaboration between Volvo Trucks and ferry and logistics company DFDS, the assignment will allow Vera to prove its worth in a real-life application by being part of a connected system for the continuous distribution of goods across the world.
Also Read: Volvo Bringing Electric Trucks To North America In 2020
The Vera, which shares its powertrain with the existing FL Electric and FE Electric trucks, is designed for repetitive assignments in logistics centers, factories, and ports, and Volvo says it can transport large volumes of goods with high precision over short distances.
Volvo Trucks wants to implement a connected system consisting of several Vera vehicles driving at up to 40 km/h (25 mph) while monitored by a control tower. The goal is to enable “a seamless and constant flow responsive to demands on greater efficiency, flexibility, and sustainability.” The project is a first step towards implementing Vera in a real transport assignment on pre-defined public roads in an industrial area.
“Now we have the opportunity to implement Vera in an ideal setting and further develop her potential for other similar operations,” says Mikael Karlsson, Vice President Autonomous Solutions at Volvo Trucks.
The company will continue to develop the autonomous transport solution before it can be fully operational. “Autonomous transports with low noise levels and zero exhaust emissions have an important role to play in the future of logistics and will benefit both business and society. We see this collaboration as an important start and want to drive progress in this area,” Mikael Karlsson added.
![](https://www.carscoops.com/wp-content/themes/carscoops/assets/images/icons/arrow.png"){kind=icon}