Volvo’s VNL Autonomous fleet begins hauling freight for DHL in Texas

DHL Supply Chain, one of the most extensive logistics operations in the world, is moving goods with self-driving trucks in Texas through a new partnership with Volvo Autonomous Solutions.

Two purpose-built Volvo VNL Autonomous tractors powered by Aurora Driver technology began hauling freight for DHL (No. 62 on the FleetOwner 500: For-Hire) between Dallas and Houston on December 4. The companies plan to add more AV capacity between Fort Worth and El Paso soon.

Jason Gillespie, DHL senior director of continuous improvement and innovation, told FleetOwner that this is another step in the company’s innovative path, which already includes warehouse automation, such as robots and innovative wearable technology. 

See also: Fleets Explained: Autonomous vehicles

“DHL is an innovative company that is always looking for automation and ways to enhance the human experience,” Gillespie said. “We’re a huge safety-first culture like Volvo. That made us a good fit together. These are exciting times for the company.”

For now, the AV operations include an Aurora-employed safety driver on board to monitor the operations as VAS works to validate its autonomous offering as a transportation service that integrates within existing logistics networks. 

Sasko Cuklev, head of on-road solutions for VAS, said that early adopters like DHL are pivotal for accelerating and deploying autonomous trucking technology. He noted that Volvo Autonomous Solutions has built a fleet of about 20 VNL Autonomous trucks that will join the initial two already operating in Texas testing.

The Volvo VNL Autonomous is built on the new Volvo VNL that Volvo Trucks North America launched in January. They are being built at VTNA's New River Valley Assembly Plant in Dublin, Virginia. 

“Those trucks are not dedicated only for DHL,” Cuklev told FleetOwner. “We are working with other customers as well. Our approach is not to go out broadly and talk to everyone. Instead, let’s identify a handful of key customers that we want to work tightly with, which we have done with DHL. As we progress and mature the solution, of course, we will try to bring in more customers.”

Is 2025 the year of autonomous trucking?

Autonomous long-haul trucking solutions are growing. The VAS transport-as-a-service offering that DHL began this month is one of the ways OEMs and technology providers plan to market their AV offerings as 2025 approaches.

Along with Volvo Autonomous Solutions, AV technology provider Aurora is working with Paccar’s Kenworth and Peterbilt brands to offer a factory-installed solution in their long-haul tractors. Rival Torc Robotics, an independent Daimler Truck subsidiary, has plans to offer driverless technology in the Freightliner Cascadia beginning in 2027. Meanwhile, Kodiak Robotics—already using its AV technology without humans on Class 8 trucks operating on private roads in Texas and New Mexico—has taken an equipment-agnostic approach, allowing the Kodiak Driver autonomous system to be upfitted to modern equipment.

See also: Advancements in trucking tech over the years

Volvo’s Cuklev declined to lay out VAS’s timeline for removing the human safety driver from its self-driving trucks. “We feel confident in what we are doing and our approach,” he said. “We believe we will end up as one of the companies that will succeed here—but I will not give you any timeline.”

DHL’s Gillespie said he appreciates that approach. “What we like about working with the Volvo team is they have objective-based milestones,” he explained. “They’re going to prove out how the ecosystem works. We’re going to prove that the enhanced pre-trip inspections work. We want to make sure we do all of these things so that we’re comfortable. We don’t want to rush to meet whatever date. We want to make sure we’re ready when we are pulling that driver out. That is critical for both of us.”

To ensure uptime for future autonomous fleets, VAS relies on industry and transport knowledge of key Volvo Trucks’ dealers across Texas to establish critical support and service points for the Volvo VNL Autonomous.

Gillespie also stressed that his fleet’s future AV additions would not replace DHL’s current driving workforce but instead augment its operations by using robotic trucks for long-haul miles so more drivers can work regionally along the first and final miles and return home after their shifts. 

“I know that drivers typically want to make a good paycheck—and they want to be home every night,” he said. “So if we can keep them running around the autonomous hub, picking up three or four local deliveries, and then taking the freight back to the hub, I think that’s a great day for a driver versus them saying goodbye to their family for a week.”