FLEETS

Scania delivers cabless autonomous truck

Sweden-headquartered commercial vehicle heavyweight Scania has released its first autonomous truck without room for a safety-driver option that chief executive Henrik Henriksson has described as a “significant step towards the transport systems of the future”

Samantha Hall
 Scania AXL is a fully autonomous concept truck, without a cab. Photo: Scania

Scania AXL is a fully autonomous concept truck, without a cab. Photo: Scania

Scania said the emphasis had been placed on the software as opposed to the hardware, with the machine operated by an "intelligent control environment". This is similar to autonomous technology found at mine sites currently, where vehicles are controlled and manipulated by a logistics system.

The truck's "intelligent front module" has been defined as the "brain" and replaces the cab. It will collect data from various technologies such as cameras and sensors in order to produce an image of the vehicle's immediate surroundings.

The AXL is powered by a combustion engine run on renewable biofuel that combines "traditional and new technology".

The supplier said the modular design typical of Scania trucks and a resilience necessary for harsh operating environments had been maintained through the design overhaul.

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