When it comes to autonomous vehicles, Volvo has kept busy. Starting from a project which allowed 100 motorists to test out a self-driving XC90 SUV in Gothenburg and ending with a self-driving garbage truck.
Renova, a waste management company, worked with Volvo in designing this truck. So, what is their goal? Well, there goal is to make a better working environment for drivers. The first time the truck travels to an area, it will be driven manually. This will then allow the automated system gathers mapping data through a suite of sensors of GPS technology. The next time around, Volvo says the truck knows where to head down to the garbage bin.
The interesting thing is that the truck drives in reverse while traveling along its route. Volvo says the driver heads to the rear of the ruck at the first stop, like what youโd on a typical trash day. When thatโs done, the truck โautomatically reversesโ to the next bin upon the driverโs command, Volvo says, using its equipped GPS and LiDAR-based system for mapping, positioning and scanning the road. That allows the driver to he can have a full view of whatโs happening out front.
โBy reversing the truck, the driver can constantly remain close to the compactor unit instead of having to repeatedly walk between the rear and the cab every time the truck is on the move,โ said Hans Zachrisson, strategic development manager at Renova, in a statement.
โAnd since the driver doesnโt have to climb in and out of the cab at every start and stop, thereโs less risk of work related injuries such as strain on the knees and other joints.โ
According to Volvo, the truckโs automated for control of steering, gear changing and speed, and itโll come to an automatic stop if an obstacle on the road suddenly appearsโthough it wasnโt immediately clear what sort of objects itโs programmed to consider.
Volvo says the pilot will run through the end of this year, followed by an evaluation period. The plan, Volvo says, is to gauge how drivers, other motorists and residents feel about the trucks. Volvo says the trucks will be introduced in โvarying degrees of automation,โ depending on the environment.