Scania tests autonomous trucks in traffic in Sweden

Truck manufacturer Scania, part of Traton, has received a test permit for public roads.

Recently, Scania received permission to test an automated truck on the road. Specifically, they are taking the test run on the E4 highway, which stretches between Södertälje and Jönköping. The route is almost 300 kilometers long and runs from central Sweden to the Baltic coast. For the tests, the company is also drawing on the expertise of Traton partner TuSimple. The Chinese start-up already operates commercial deliveries in the USA and is a popular partner in the industry.

The Scania test vehicles used have Level 4 automation and can navigate largely without human intervention. For safety, however, a driver still sits on board and monitors the vehicle. In addition to the driver, an engineer will also sit in the cab to ensure technical monitoring. Most importantly, the engineer will look after the correct transmission of sensor data.

The trips will bring parts of the production to the Scania site. This involves connecting two distribution centers along the highway. This is also the common mode of operation for the automated trucks in the USA. This is because city traffic is still too complicated.

If the tests are successful, Scania plans to extend the test route to Helsingborg. This is to be done this year, and next they plan to carry out tests in other countries and in China. The company is also testing the use of autonomous trucks in mining in Australia, where Rio Tinto in particular has automated its fleet of dump trucks.