VW's Navistar launches autonomous trucking test

Navistar Inc., a division of Volkswagen Group's truck manufacturing subsidiary, has launched an autonomous trucking pilot program with Plus, a self-driving technology developer.

The pilot will test use of a system developed by Plus to create hub-to-hub autonomous trucking routes.

"There is a strong business case for autonomous technology in the hub-to-hub distribution model, specifically in long-haul transportation," Tobias Glitterstam, Navistar's chief strategy and transformation officer, said in a statement Tuesday.

In a hub-to-hub network, a human driver would ferry the freight through an urban area from its origin to a highway-adjacent transfer hub. The load would then transfer to an autonomous tractor to haul it on the highway to a distant transfer hub. At that point, a human driver would take the cargo to its destination.

Truck manufacturers, technology companies and logistics firms are considering building such networks, starting in Texas and expanding throughout the Southwest. According to industry executives and analysts, the roads and weather in the region provide the best environment for launching autonomous trucking.

Unlocking a southern tier of freight routes from Southern California to Florida would create an annual $42 billion market for autonomous trucking, according to Volvo Trucks, a Navistar competitor.

The Navistar partnership with Plus is part of a broader agreement with Traton Group, the VW subsidiary. Plus will work with other Traton truck brands, including Scania and MAN. Previously, Navistar had a partnership with TuSimple, a self-driving company that has exited the U.S.

Traton truck brands using Plus' Level 4 autonomous driving system, SuperDrive, are already being tested on public roads in Europe and in Texas with a safety driver on board.

"We see autonomous as a key part of our offer for a full range of safe, efficient and sustainable transport solutions," Peter Hafmar, a Scania vice president leading Traton's autonomous trucking initiative, said in a statement.