Volvo reaches 1 million+ tonnes hauled autonomously

The autonomous transport solution includes seven Volvo FH trucks equipped with virtual driver technology. (Photo: Volvo Group)

Volvo Autonomous Solutions (V.A.S.) announced it has successfully hauled more than 1 million tonnes of limestone autonomously for customer Brønnøy Kalk in Velfjord, Norway. To date, the autonomous transport solution has covered more than 220,000 km.

“Hauling over 1 million tonnes of limestone autonomously is a remarkable accomplishment,” said Nils Jaeger, president of Volvo Autonomous Solutions. “This milestone highlights how our autonomous technology is already driving meaningful results for customers like Brønnøy Kalk, turning what was once a vision of the future into a reality today.”

Raymond Langfjord, general manager at Brønnøy Kalk, said the company’s decision to adopt autonomy was driven by the need to improve efficiency, safety, and productivity.

“This milestone highlights the progress we have made and the capabilities of Volvo’s autonomous transport solutions,” he added. “We are proud to be at the forefront of industry innovation and to serve as a prime example of what autonomous technology can achieve.”

Operating under the product name Autona/earth, the autonomous transport solution includes seven Volvo FH trucks equipped with V.A.S.’s proprietary virtual driver technology. The trucks navigate a 5-km route between the mine and crusher, which includes a steep inclination and tunnels. A wheel loader operator manages operations via a touchscreen, coordinating truck loading and hauling; V.A.S. removed the safety driver at the site in 2023.

In addition to the autonomous trucks, the solution encompasses a fully integrated ecosystem that includes infrastructure, operations, training, maintenance, repairs and fleet management.

V.A.S. said solutions like Autona/earth are intended to enhance safety by removing personnel from hazardous environments and increase productivity through continuous 24/7 operations.

“Autonomy is unlocking unprecedented potential in safety and productivity. Beyond these clear advantages, our solutions deliver substantial efficiency gains in mining operations through flexible fleet management, allowing customers to optimize the number of trucks in operation based on demand,” Mikael Nyth, operations manager at V.A.S., stated. “Moreover, advanced data collection from sensors offers new avenues for operational insights and continuous improvements.”

Autona/earth is delivered to Brønnøy Kalk through a Transport as a Service (TaaS) model operated by V.A.S. as the transport provider. This model enables the customer to leverage the benefits of autonomous transport without the need to solve all the challenges associated with incorporating a new technology into existing operations, V.A.S. noted.