In collaboration with Terberg Special Vehicles and EasyMile, the Port of Helsingborg is pioneering the Autonomous Terminal Tractor Test.
This initiative involves testing a driverless vehicle in the Swedish port’s container terminal. Initially, the tests will be conducted outside of regular operations, with plans to integrate live testing during peak operations by autumn.
The primary aim is to assess the maturity of the autonomous system and identify any technical challenges. Additionally, the findings from this project will inform equipment selection for the “New Port,” a new container port that the Port of Helsingborg plans to implement around 2030.
The French autonomous firm EasyMile is conducting the test at the Port of Helsingborg, leveraging its longstanding partnership with terminal tractor supplier Terberg, which has developed a ‘Drive By Wire’ terminal tractor for autonomous and teleoperated driving and has previously supplied electric tractors to the port.
For this project, Terberg and EasyMile are using a demonstration vehicle similar to the port’s existing tractors. The trailer, which will be attached to the tractor, has been preliminarily modified to include angle sensors and couplings, among other features.
The project’s initial phase will involve brake tests, load testing, and mapping the vehicle’s planned routes. Scheduled to commence after the summer holidays, Phase 1 will see the vehicle’s autonomy fully operational but limited to a specific route at one of the container terminal’s three quays—quay 906 and crane 20. During this phase, only simulated production will occur, beginning with simpler routes that will be tested and validated before expanding to longer, more complex routes to achieve full driving distances.
If Phase 1 progresses smoothly, the next phase will start in the autumn. In this phase, the vehicle will operate alongside the port’s crew during container vessel arrivals. Throughout the project, a safety driver from EasyMile will be in the cabin to relay instructions from the truck computer to the vehicle’s Autonomous Vehicle Management System (AVMS), which manages routes and driving behaviours, monitor autonomous movements, and validate turns.
