Six driverless Volvo FH trucks will transport limestone a five-kilometer stretch through tunnels between the mine and the crushing plant.

Bucket on wheels

Bucket on wheels

Well-known member
Original Norwegian text for those who want to read in Norwegian
http://www.tungt.no/anleggsmagasinet/forste-kommersielle-selvkjorende-volvo-i-norge-6706420


English link to the same as below
Six driverless Volvo FH trucks will transport limestone a five-kilometer stretch through tunnels between the mine and the crushing plant.


the text is translated with google translater

Six driverless Volvo FH trucks will transport limestone a five-kilometer stretch through tunnels between the mine and the crushing plant.
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Self-driven Volvo in the north. Testing is over - now they are in commercial operation. Photo: Volvo


Volvo Trucks currently announces that they have signed a milestone agreement with Brønnøy Kalk AS to deliver Volvo Trucks' first commercial driverless solution in Norway.
The cars are going to transport limestone from an open mine to a nearby port.
The solution for Brønnøy Kalk AS consists of six driverless Volvo FH trucks. They will transport limestone a five-kilometer stretch through tunnels between the mine and the crushing plant. The solution has been through successful tests, and the tests will continue through 2018 before the solution is put into operation by the end of 2019.
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Impressive facility. TM has just made reports from here. Photo: Frode Tellevik
The agreement comes in the wake of recent automation projects in mining, harvesting of sugar cane and waste collection.
This commercial solution is nevertheless a new experience for Volvo Trucks. Instead of purchasing autonomous trucks, Brønnøy Kalk buys an entire transport solution for limestone shipment between the two terminals.
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The self-driven Volvo FH trucks are operated from the outside of the wheel loader operator. Photo: Volvo
"An important step for us," says general manager at the mine, Raymond Langfjord. "The competition in the industry is tough and we have a clear vision of utilizing new opportunities in technology and digital solutions.

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Managing Director Raymod Langfjord Photo: Volvo
Claes Nilsson, Managing Director of Volvo Trucks, is also proud. "The industry requires new solutions to be at the forefront. Our goal is to guide the development.
The agreement implies that the customer buys a complete transport service and pays per delivered ton.
Facts:
  • Volvo Trucks' first commercial autonomous solution
  • Includes an autonomous terminal-to-terminal solution for the transportation of limestone at Brønnøy Kalk in Velfjord, Norway.
  • The partners are Brønnøy Kalk AS and Volvo Trucks.
  • The self-propelled Volvo FH trucks are operated outside of the wheel drive operator.
  • The route includes driving both in tunnels and outdoors.
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Five kilometers through tunnels. Photo: Volvo

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Volvo's first driverless, here in open air. Photo: Volvo
 
Grahams

Grahams

Don't complain - suggest what's better
It makes sense. When you consider they are trying self driving cars amongst normal traffic this must be a relatively simple operation in comparison. I expect once it is perfected it will be a big cost saver. 24/7 operation with no driver error accidents or issues. No drivers being excessively hard on the trucks or not stopping in the right place for the loaders. A big gain for the company, but not so good for the truck drivers.
Graham
 
M

Monkeybusiness

Well-known member
A quarrying firm we sub to apparently recently advertised for ADT drivers in Surrey. £40k a year, good company benefits etc etc. They only got a couple of applications, and nobody turned up for interview...
Driverless plant performing repetitive tasks is undoubtedly the future.
 
V8Druid

V8Druid

do it as well as you can,but learn to do it better
A quarrying firm we sub to apparently recently advertised for ADT drivers in Surrey. £40k a year, good company benefits etc etc. They only got a couple of applications, and nobody turned up for interview...
Driverless plant performing repetitive tasks is undoubtedly the future.

not a cheap place to live though :( ..... can't imagine there's a surfeit of ADT drivers there ?? :unsure:
 
B

Brendan

Well-known member
The amount of tech in the Volvo trucks is amazing.
Not 100 percent convinced on the whole driverless cars/trucks how do the manage with blow outs/mechanical failure. Also how does the truck know where to back up to be loaded when the machine moves unless they are loaded to a set point by conveyor? Assume there is a ton of cameras and sensors all over the tractor unit and trailer but I'd imagine the quarry is dusty so how many issues will arise from blocked cameras or sensors.
Be interesting to see how it develops
 
B

Brendan

Well-known member
Good point
Safe for a few years yet, autonomous vehicles lack the ability to deal with anything out of their set parameters.
Fair enough it's different but if anyone watched the Guy Martin episode with the self driving race car it left the lacked the sense to ease off the power after the rears lost traction on the first part of a s bend and left the track on the second part as just went full hammer, not to mention the few crashes the other auto race cars have had. Then there is a car company who's self driving vehicles have left the road a few times with disastrous results.
 
B

Brendan

Well-known member
Just seen a video of it in action seems to work by marker posts at the side of the road, tips into a single chute and where it is loaded is by loading shovel that can stop the truck where it wants, although I'll guess it doesn't deviate from its set course
 
Grahams

Grahams

Don't complain - suggest what's better
Let's hope the driverless trucks buy the goods the firm's make....oh wait no employees,no job,no wages,no purchasing🙄
That presumes you are making people redundant, but if you can’t get drivers then this will enable a product to be produced that would otherwise not be. So people doing other jobs can then purchase it.
Personally I’m looking forward to self driving cars. I used to enjoy driving, but these days it is so congested I would happily let the robot drive me through the night whilst I sleep and arrive fresh at the job next day.
Also when I’m old and doddery I won’t be tempted to carry on driving way past the time when I should hand in my licence, unlike now where most pensioners only seem to stop after an accident.
Graham
 
V8Druid

V8Druid

do it as well as you can,but learn to do it better
As you say, I can't see a lot of call for this unless it is a zero cost option. Maybe I just lack imagination.
Graham
no driver in his right mind is going to stand outside the cab in the cold and/or rain to maneuver his truck at 10 kliks :oops: unless he's on one of those extreme roads in Peru or the like, :eek: with a million ft drop off the side ..... be a while 'fore anything this techy gets over there though :rolleyes:
 
M

Monkeybusiness

Well-known member
There was an 8 wheeler tarmac wagon (it poured tarmac out via conveyor belts, for laying footpaths etc) at Hillhead 2 years ago that could be driven remotely like that. I can’t remember what make it was but it was very impressive, and apparently sped the application it was used for up massively.
 
pettsy

pettsy

Well-known member
Only thing that I can think of is refuse collection lorries, but still needs someone to oversee it so driver might aswell be sat in the cab....
 
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