MAN Truck & Bus
This autonomous truck has passed the test
From here on it gets serious The autonomous truck drives itself to the block storage facility from the CTA check gate.
It’s an unusual scenario at the Port of Hamburg: Detlev Gosler, a driver from freight forwarder Jakob Weets e.K., switched from the driver’s seat to the passenger seat at the check-in gate to Container Terminal Altenwerder (CTA), rather than driving the vehicle to the container storage lane with the container loaded, as he would usually do. This involves a safety driver replacing Gosler on the driver's side – he won’t be operating the accelerator, brake or steering, but has to be there for legal reasons to intervene if the autonomous test drive with the prototype doesn’t run smoothly at one point or another. This guarantees the continuous safety of all participants during ongoing terminal operations.
Yet it is not only unusual, there is also an exhilarating pioneering spirit combined with great joy within the entire “Hamburg TruckPilot” team that is watching proceedings with great anticipation: the truck accelerates on its own. At around 25 kilometres per hour, it moves autonomously from the check-in gate toward the container storage lane, where the containers are waiting for collection by ship, train or truck. The safety driver carefully observes the events, he is ready to intervene at any time.
This is the decisive step in the “Hamburg TruckPilot” project. MAN and Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG (HHLA) are jointly testing the deployment of autonomous trucks at Container Terminal Altenwerder (CTA) and their integration into highly automated handling processes. The project was launched three years ago. After the preparation phase and technical system development at MAN's test site in Munich, the technical implementation has been taking place on site by the Elbe since autumn 2020. Practical testing then followed at the end of May 2021, when a prototype truck transported 40-foot containers on behalf of VW Group Logistics for two days in real-life situations under an existing logistics relationship with freight forwarder Jakob Weets.
TECHNOLOGICAL MILESTONE
Now comes the highlight of “Hamburg TruckPilot”, which the entire team has been looking forward to: the developer team of MAN and VW has been testing for months, led by Sebastian Völl, project manager for automated driving at MAN Truck & Bus. “Hamburg TruckPilot is an important technological milestone on the road to developing autonomous driving systems at MAN. The know-how we have built up here brings us closer to our objective for autonomous trucks to be regularly used in future not only on the sites of logistics hubs, but also in regular traffic between these logistics hubs”, Völl reports on the success and thus addresses another aspect that is taking place during these practical tests in Hamburg.
Because on the shuttle journeys on the A7 between Logistic Centre Soltau, about 70 kilometres south of Hamburg, and the port area, which are regularly performed by a driver, these practical test trips are already providing the project participants with data for autonomous driving on the highway. The legal conditions for this are on the right track in Germany. It was only at the end of May that the Bundestag and the Federal Council adopted the law on autonomous driving, which basically permits the use of such vehicle systems in defined areas of operation, such as on routes between logistics hubs.
Positioning yourself early in the starting blocks, where the objective is gradually becoming more and more tangible – that is exactly the reason that Till Schlumberger, project manager at HHLA, sees as the decisive motivation for HHLA participating in “Hamburg TruckPilot”: “Autonomous driving is on its way. This is confirmed by the recently passed law on autonomous driving. We at HHLA want to and must prepare ourselves at an early stage for autonomous trucks to be picking up or delivering containers at our terminals.”
Better safe than sorry A safety driver accompanied all the practical test runs on the terminal site, while Jakob Weets driver Detlev Gosler rode along in the passenger seat.
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The vision This is how it should work one day, when prototypes become production vehicles and when the legal framework allows it: The truck driver arrives at the check gate of the CTA...
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Please get off! ... there she leaves her vehicle, closes the driver's door.
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Route planning The driver uses the display to control the planned position in the block storage area and thus specifies the route for the truck.
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Fully autonomous One day, the delivered containers are to travel from the truck to the block storage facility completely on their own. The driver has time for administrative tasks at the check gate or can take a break.
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Aimed maneuvering Thanks to the installed automation technology, the truck and container are quickly parked in the correct position.
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Caution! Safety displays on the autonomously operating vehicle inform all those working on the terminal site about the individual work steps. Here: lifting the container in the block storage lane.
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Arrived Once the truck has come to a stop, the container can be unloaded automatically.
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All on board Without a container, the truck then drives back to the check gate, where the truck driver can get on and take command again.
We are pleased to be part of this innovative research project and thus to support the development of future automation solutions.
The involvement of freight forwarder Jakob Weets from Emden is decisive for the realistic nature of the practical tests: this logistics partner not only provides the drivers, but also takes care of the complete container transport and integrates the test vehicles into their regular transport process. “We are pleased to be part of this innovative research project and thus to support the development of future automation solutions”, said Managing Director Jakob Weets regarding the potential that automated driving functions will be able to offer in addition to the safety gains, especially in terms of relieving truck drivers.
Project completion at the ITS World Congress
Gosler’s truck has long since found the right position in the container storage lane along the 1,400-meter-long Ballinkai quay. It reverses autonomously to manoeuvre into its parking position. Gosler is impressed: “It’s crazy how it’s all done so precisely and swiftly. An untrained driver couldn’t align so well in reverse, even a practised driver would need a very good attempt. This aspect of the automation system would make my everyday life so much easier.” He climbs out, opens the twist lock and confirms the opening on a card reader, after which the container is automatically unloaded. The container is unloaded after a few seconds and Gosler resumes his seat in the passenger positionwhile the vehicle moves off again to return to the check-in gate.
The safety driver didn’t even have to intervene once. The truck finally comes to a stop at the check-in gate and Gosler can resume command in the driver's seat. He starts the engine and drives back to the Soltau Logistic Centre in Soltau to pick up the next container. The next time he arrives at the CTA, Völl and his colleagues will again closely monitor the switch to automated deployment at the terminal site. Still with the critical eye of the developers – but also with pride!
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Start of the practical test drive Driver Detlev Gosler departs Weets Container Terminal Soltau for the Port of Hamburg.
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Feeder drive The driver steers the prototype truck with automation technology along the A7 autobahn for around 70 kilometers to the port area.
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Arrival at the port After check-in, driver Detlev Gosler and a safety driver - here still in the passenger seat - change places. The truck drives itself to the block storage facility.
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Parking like a pro "An inexperienced driver wouldn't be able to reverse as well." Detlev Gosler is impressed by the autonomous maneuvering of the prototype truck.
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Off the ground This is the signal for the further highly automated processes at CTA: The container is unloaded.
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Eased The prototype truck has delivered its cargo in the field test - a complete success for the entire project team!
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Back to the check-in-gate Now Detlev Gosler can take his place again in the passenger seat and the safety driver in the driver's seat. It's back to the check gate, where Gosler takes over the wheel and command again.
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Key logistics partner Spedition Jakob Weets from Emden not only provided the driver Detlev Gosler in the "Hamburg TruckPilot" project, but also took care of the complete container transport.
“Hamburg TruckPilot”, a project that is part of the strategic mobility partnership between the Hanseatic City and the Volkswagen Group, can be regarded as a complete success. The project partners will be presenting their detailed results to the public during the ITS World Congress in October 2021.
