Volvo Tests Self-Driving Refuse Truck in Urban Environment

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Heavy Duty Trucking  /  May 17, 2017

Volvo Group is working with Swedish waste and recycling company Renova to test an autonomous, self-driving refuse truck in an urban environment.

The project will explore how an autonomous refuse truck can be used in a busy environment to improve traffic safety and working conditions and reduce environmental impact.

“There is amazing potential to transform the swift pace of technical developments in automation into practical benefits for customers and, more broadly, society in general,” said Lars Stenqvist, chief technology officer, Volvo Group. “Our self-driving refuse truck is leading the way in this field globally, and one of several exciting autonomous innovations we are working with right now.”

Volvo’s autonomous refuse truck is designed to make driving safer in built-up areas and while backing up. Sensors on the vehicle will monitor the vicinity and stop the truck immediately if an obstacle suddenly appears in its path. The route is pre-programmed and the truck drives itself to each location.

The driver can focus on refuse collection and does not have to climb in and out of the cab every time the truck moves to a new collection bin.

“One important benefit of the new technology is a reduction in the risk of occupational injuries, such as wear in knee joints – otherwise a common ailment among staff working with refuse collection,” said Stenqvist.

The autonomous truck also offers environmental benefits, according to Volvo. Gearchanging, steering and speed are constantly adjusted for low fuel consumption and emissions.

The joint project with Renova will continue through the end of 2017. The autonomous truck is fitted with a sensor system for identification, navigation and monitoring of the vehicle’s vicinity. Most of the technology is also used in Volvo’s autonomous mining truck that the company unveiled in 2016. The mining truck is undergoing tests in the Kristineberg Mine in northern Sweden.

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Volvo pioneers autonomous, self-driving refuse truck in the urban environment

Volvo Group  /  May 17, 2017

In the latest research and development in self-driving vehicles, Volvo Group, together with Swedish waste and recycling specialists Renova, is testing a pioneering autonomous refuse truck that has the potential to be used across the urban environment. The project explores how automation can contribute to enhanced traffic safety, improved working conditions and lower environmental impact.

“There is amazing potential to transform the swift pace of technical developments in automation into practical benefits for customers and, more broadly, society in general. Our self-driving refuse truck is leading the way in this field globally, and one of several exciting autonomous innovations we are working with right now,” says Lars Stenqvist, Chief Technology Officer, Volvo Group.

Volvo Group’s autonomous refuse truck is designed to make the driving safer in built-up areas, not least when reversing. Sensors continuously monitor the vehicle’s vicinity and the truck stops immediately if an obstacle suddenly appears in its path. The route is pre-programmed and the truck drives itself from one wheelie-bin to the next. The driver, who walks ahead of the reversing vehicle, can focus on refuse collection and does not have to climb into and out of the cab every time the truck moves to a new bin.

“One important benefit of the new technology is a reduction in the risk of occupational injuries, such as wear in knee joints – otherwise a common ailment among staff working with refuse collection,” explains Lars Stenqvist.

The autonomous truck also offers major environmental upsides. Gearchanging, steering and speed are constantly optimised for low fuel consumption and emissions.

The joint project with Renova will continue until end of 2017. The autonomous truck currently being tested is fitted with a sensor system for identification, navigation, and monitoring of the vehicle’s vicinity. Most of this technology is also used in the autonomous truck for mining operations that Volvo Group unveiled in 2016. That self-driving truck is undergoing tests in the Kristineberg Mine in northern Sweden.

Link to film: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJSHXr8i-ZU

Link to high-resolution images: http://images.volvogroup.com/

More information about Volvo Group’s work with autonomous vehicles can be found at www.volvogroup.com/automation .

For more information please contact Volvo Group’s press department, Henry Sténson +46 31 323 72 29

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Volvo Trucks and Renova testing autonomous refuse trucks; driving in reverse

Green Car Congress  /  May 17, 2017

Swedish waste management company Renova and Volvo Trucks are currently testing and researching how automated vehicles can contribute to safer, more efficient refuse handling and create a better working environment for drivers. The automated systems being tested are in principle the same as those fitted to the autonomous Volvo truck operating in the Kristineberg Mine in northern Sweden since autumn 2016.

The refuse truck relies on a GPS and LiDAR-based system for mapping, positioning and scanning of the area around the vehicle. The autonomous system controls steering, gear changing and speed. The vehicle stops automatically if an obstacle on the road suddenly appears.

Driving a heavy commercial vehicle in an urban residential area with narrow streets and vulnerable road users naturally imposes major demands on safety, even when the vehicle's speed doesn't exceed a normal walking pace. The refuse truck we are now testing continuously monitors its surroundings and immediately stops if an obstacle suddenly appears on the road. At the same time, the automated system creates better prerequisites for the driver to keep a watchful eye on everything that happens near the truck.

—Carl Johan Almqvist, Traffic & Product Safety Director,Volvo Trucks

The first time the automated refuse truck is used in a new area, it is driven manually while the on-board system constantly monitors and maps the route with the help of sensors and GPS technology. The next time the truck enters the same area, it knows exactly which route to follow and at which bins it has to stop.

At the first stop with the automated system activated, the driver climbs out of the cab, goes to the rear of the truck, brings out the wheelie-bin and empties it exactly the way the job is done today by operating the relevant controls. When the operation is completed, the truck automatically reverses to the next bin upon receiving the driver’s command. The driver walks the very same route that the truck takes and thus always has full view of what’s happening in the direction of travel.

By 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. And since the driver doesn’t have to climb in and out of the cab at every start and stop, there’s less risk of work related injuries such as strain on the knees and other joints.

—Hans Zachrisson, Strategic Development Manager at Renova

Reversing is otherwise a fairly risky maneuver since the driver may find it difficult to see who or what is moving behind the vehicle, even if it is fitted with a camera. In certain areas it is not allowed to reverse with a heavy commercial vehicle for safety reasons, in others it is a requirement that a co-driver must stand behind the truck to ensure that the road is clear before the vehicle is allowed to reverse.

The solution being tested is designed to eliminate these issues. Since sensors monitor the area all around the refuse truck, driving is equally safe no matter the direction in which the vehicle is moving. And if for instance the street is blocked by a parked car, the refuse truck can automatically drive around the obstruction provided there is sufficient space alongside.

Since the automated systems optimize gear changes, steering and speed, fuel consumption and emissions can also be reduced.

Although the technical scope already exists, much research, testing and development remains before self-driving refuse trucks can become a reality. The current joint project will continue until the end of 2017 and will be followed by an extremely thorough evaluation of functionality, safety and, not least, how well this type of vehicle is accepted by drivers, other road users and local residents.

Vehicles with varying degrees of automation will probably be introduced earlier in other applications, where transport assignments take place within strictly confined areas such as mines and cargo terminals, the company said.