Autonomous terminal tractor test

In collaboration with Terberg and EasyMile, The Port of Helsingborg ventures into uncharted territory with the Autonomous terminal tractor test. As the project name suggests, it involves testing a driverless vehicle in The Port’s container terminal. Initially, the test will be conducted outside of regular production to ensure the ability to conduct live testing during sharp operation by autumn.

The goal is to investigate the autonomous system’s maturity level and identify the technical challenges. Furthermore, the project’s results will serve as a basis for equipment selection in the “New Port,” referring to the plans for a new Container Port that The Port of Helsingborg schedules to implement around 2030.

What exactly is an autonomous vehicle?

Wikipedia defines it as “A self-driving car, also known as an autonomous car (AC), driverless car, robotic car or robo-car, is a car that is capable of operating with reduced or no human input. Self-driving cars are responsible for all driving activities, such as perceiving the environment, monitoring important systems, and controlling the vehicle, which includes navigating from origin to destination.”

The vehicle, equipped with specially adapted equipment and sensors, is operated without a driver at the steering wheel or pedals. The vehicle is controlled via pre-programmed driving routes. However, the project manager, Pär Kraft, disagrees with the absence of human input:

“There will always be a need for human supervision and input into the vehicle. Still, the ‘driver’ could instead sit at a computer in an office and monitor the fleet operation, ready to intervene if issues arise that the system cannot solve”, Pär says.

Drive By Wire terminal tractor from Terberg

The French autonomous firm called EasyMile conducts the test in The Port of Helsingborg. They have a longstanding partnership with terminal tractor supplier Terberg. Terberg has developed a ‘Drive By Wire’ terminal tractor for autonomous and/or teleoperated driving and has previously delivered electric tractors to The Port of Helsingborg. Terberg and EasyMile use their demonstration vehicle in the project, resembling The Port’s existing tractors. The trailer to be attached to the tractor has also been preliminary modified during the project to accommodate, among other things, angle sensors and couplings.

Project Phases

The project’s initial phase involves brake tests, load testing, and mapping the vehicle’s planned routes. Phase 1 is scheduled to be executed after the summer holidays. At that stage, the vehicle’s autonomy will be fully operational, but with a route limited to one of the Container terminal’s three quays, quay 906 and crane 20. During phase 1, only fictive/simulated production will take place. First, simpler routes will be tested and validated to be expanded to longer, more complex routes to achieve complete driving distances.

Assuming the first phase progresses smoothly, the next phase will begin in the autumn, with the vehicle operating alongside The Port’s crew during operation at a container vessel arrival. A safety driver from EasyMile will be in the cabin while the vehicle operates throughout the project. The safety driver will relay instructions from the truck computer to the vehicle’s AVMS, a system for routes and driving behaviours, monitor the autonomous movements, and validate turns.

For more information:
Pär Kraft
Project leader, Port of Helsingborg
Phone: +46 76 853 47 83