Volvo, Waabi start autonomous customer operations in Texas

Volvo Autonomous Solutions (V.A.S.) and Waabi have announced the start of autonomous operation in Texas. The Volvo VNL Autonomous powered by the Waabi Driver is now transporting freight directly to third-party facilities along the Dallas–Houston corridor, in the first customer operation in the companies’ partnership. Currently, autonomous hauls are run with an observer in the driver’s seat. 

The Volvo VNL Autonomous powered by the Waabi Driver is now transporting freight for Warp in Texas. (Photo: Volvo Autonomous Solutions)

The operations will enable Warp, an open-source freight network that provides less-than-truckload (LTL) and full-truckload (FTL) freight services for carriers and shippers, to transport customers’ goods autonomously along the corridor. By moving freight directly between facilities, without handoffs, the Volvo VNL Autonomous powered by the Waabi Driver gives LTL providers like Warp a more predictable way to keep their networks on schedule.

“Working with Volvo Autonomous Solutions and Waabi demonstrates what Warp’s network was built for: bringing advanced technology into the everyday movement of freight,” said Daniel Sokolovsky, CEO of Warp. “The value of autonomy grows when you can coordinate the freight around it. Warp brings together shipments from multiple customers and aligns routes, capacity and timing, so advances on a single lane can benefit the broader network.”

Integrating V.A.S.’ autonomous transport ecosystem Autona / freight into Warp’s freight network creates opportunities to optimize freight flows and support more efficient movement of goods as demand grows. Autona / freight brings together the Volvo VNL Autonomous, Waabi’s autonomous driving technology, fleet and transport management, terminals and customer endpoints, operations and uptime support to deliver a complete transport solution designed to scale.

V.A.S. and Waabi will use real-world experience from the Dallas–Houston lane to prepare for additional routes and support the broader scaling of autonomous freight in the coming years.

“Together with Warp and Waabi, we are bringing autonomous freight into customer operations in one of logistics’ most demanding segments. This shows how quickly our ecosystem can adapt to new customers and more complex operations,” said Nils Jaeger, president of Volvo Autonomous Solutions. “What we learn on the Dallas–Houston corridor will help us strengthen our partnership and continuously improve the ecosystem as we scale.”

“Waabi and Volvo Autonomous Solutions are building toward a future where autonomous trucks integrate seamlessly into the networks that move freight every day,” said Lior Ron, COO of Waabi. “Our work with Warp is the first milestone on that path, demonstrating that the Volvo VNL Autonomous, powered by the Waabi Driver, can take on the full range of real-world freight, from operating within less-than-truckload networks to moving goods directly to third-party facilities, meeting customers where they are. We’re incredibly excited about what’s ahead as we continue building that future together with Volvo.”