Volvo Autonomous Solutions (V.A.S.) and global logistics provider, DSV have launched autonomous freight operations in Texas, marking a notable milestone for self-driving freight in the United States. The partnership kicked off with the first commercial truckload hauled by the Volvo VNL Autonomous – a truck built from the ground up for autonomous long-haul operations and powered by the Aurora Driver self-driving system. Initially, V.A.S. is running autonomous transport services for DSV on the Dallas-to-Houston corridor, connecting Aurora’s terminals along one of the country’s busiest freight lanes. The trips are being integrated directly into DSV’s existing logistics flows, with a safety driver present in the cab during this early operational phase – consistent with V.A.S.’s current deployment standards.
Central to the collaboration is V.A.S.’s Autona/freight solution, an end-to-end autonomous transport ecosystem that combines the Volvo VNL Autonomous truck with self-driving technology from both Aurora and Waabi, alongside the operational systems needed to manage autonomous freight at scale. V.A.S. brings substantial real-world experience to the table, having logged over one million miles in regional and local freight operations since 2023.
For DSV, the partnership demonstrates how autonomous transport can be woven into large, complex logistics networks to boost efficiency, improve asset utilization, and build supply chain resilience. Both companies share the ambition of expanding to additional lanes over time, using day-to-day operational learnings to guide responsible, performance-driven growth in autonomous freight.
Helmut Schweighofer, CEO, DSV Road, stated: “Autonomous driving is moving towards real-world operations. Our collaboration with Volvo in Texas represents a production, depot-to-depot setup. We see clear opportunities to improve safety and driver comfort, help mitigate a growing driver shortage, and unlock better asset utilization through 24/7 operations for the benefit of our customers.”
Sasko Cuklev, Head of On-Road Solutions at V.A.S. explained: “Logistics providers like DSV are an important customer group for Volvo Autonomous Solutions, and DSV is at the forefront of how autonomous transport can be applied in real logistics networks. Starting between Dallas and Houston, we plan to move freight together in a way that supports round-the-clock operations and creates a scalable foundation for adding more lanes over time.”
