The Finnish-Swedish group Stora Enso has started testing an automated truck in the area of its paper mill in Joensuu, Finland. The aim of the test is to find out whether automated transport can reduce CO2 emissions and improve safety.
The truck travels 1.4 kilometres approximately 15 times a day at a maximum speed of 20 km/h. It transports wood chips from the Uimaharju sawmill in Stora Enso - the raw material for pulp production - to the pulp mill, which produces dissolving and softwood pulp for the textile and paper industries.
With the use of autonomous trucks, the papermaker says he wants to improve road safety with sensors and intelligent traffic lights and optimize fuel use by getting the most out of the engine and the route. He also advances the working comfort of "driver" which will operate from a remote control room.
"During these early stages of the test process, a driver is present in the truck to make sure that everything goes well, and only later will the truck's operation be remotely controlled", says Antti Suvinen, Supply and Logistics Manager at Stora Enso Wood Supply Finland.
Vehicle testing is expected to continue until the end of the year.
