MAN Truck & Bus SE has become the first commercial vehicle manufacturer to test an autonomous truck on Germany’s motorway.
Accompanied onboard by Federal Trasnport Minister Dr. Volker Wissing and MAN CEO Alexander Vlaskamp, the driverless vehicle is the first to be operated on a Level 4 testing permit based on the law on autonomous driving within the country.
Dr Volker Wissing, Federal Minister for Digital Affairs and Transport, said:The first Level 4 test drive of an autonomous truck on a German motorway proves that Germany has taken a leading position in Europe with the law on autonomous driving. Our goal is to become the leading market for automated and connected driving.
Today is a milestone for logistics in Germany. The ever-increasing volume of transport, coupled with the worsening shortage of drivers, is a challenge for society as a whole. Autonomous trucks can help to alleviate the situation. In addition, the intelligent networking of freight transport offers the opportunity to make transhipment from road to rail more efficient and thus strengthen climate-friendly combined transport.
The test was made possible partly by the involvement of infrastructure operator Autobahn GmbH, who examined MAN’s concept as part of the application for a test license before approval was granted by the Federal Motor Transport Authority earlier this month.
Alexander Vlaskamp, Chairman of the Executive Board of MAN Truck & Bus SE, said:Today we are taking another big step towards autonomous commercial vehicles, the second major future field alongside the switch to CO2-free drives. This year, we are initially running tests with prototypes on the motorway. Further hub-to-hub projects will follow from 2025, but then in typical customer applications. We are thus taking the next development step towards series production of autonomous trucks towards the end of the decade.
The law on autonomous driving gives our industry the necessary planning security. 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.
Going forward, Autobahn GmbH will be responsible for the declaration of approved autonomous vehicle operating areas on motorways throughout Germany.
