MAN Truck first to deploy autonomous lorry on motorway

MAN Truck & Bus has become the first manufacturer of commercial vehicles to deploy an autonomous lorry on a German motorway.

The company has been actively advancing the development of autonomous lorries for use in logistics hubs and hub-to-hub traffic on motorways.

Recently, it became the first commercial vehicle manufacturer to be granted a Level 4 test permit in accordance with the German law governing autonomous driving on motorways.

In a statement, the company said there was a steady increase in freight volumes and transportation between logistics centres, which included the warehouses of major online shops.

The use of autonomous lorries in this hub-to-hub transport was particularly suitable for this, it said.

The company said the efficient use of autonomous lorries could reduce overall operating costs by 10 to 15 per cent in the long term.

The new technology can also alleviate driver shortage, as there is a shortage of up to 100,000 lorry drivers in Germany alone.

“Today we are taking another big step towards autonomous commercial vehicles, the second major future field alongside the switch to carbon dioxide-free drives.

“This year, we are initially running tests with prototypes on the highway. Further hub-to-hub projects will follow next year but only in typical customer applications.

“To realise autonomous driving, however, we also need to work closely with infrastructure operators such as Autobahn GmbH. Only together can we put autonomous driving on the road,” said MAN Truck & Bus SE chairman and executive board member Alexander Vlaskamp.

MAN Truck has been collaborating with Autobahn GmbH and other industry, academic, and technical testing partners since 2022. The goal is to create an autonomous vehicle that can move between logistics centres on highways.

To date, MAN Truck has filed 133 patent applications in the field of autonomous driving, 33 of which have been granted.

To realise autonomous driving, however, we also need to work closely with infrastructure operators such as Autobahn GmbH. ALEXANDER VLASKAMP MAN Truck & Bus SE chairman and executive board member