Terberg test autonomous terminal tractor in mixed traffic
Terberg Group, the Dutch manufacturer of specialised vehicles for various industries, has performed a new round of tests of its autonomous terminal tractor. The unmanned vehicle was running at a container terminal in mixed traffic. The tests have confirmed that the autonomous terminal tractors can be safely operated together with the conventional vehicles without separating the two types of traffic.
In May 2022, Terberg Group carried out a series of tests of its autonomous terminal tractor, equipped with EasyMile driverless technology, at the Lineage Logistics terminal in Vlissingen, the Netherlands. The fully automated electric vehicle performed autonomous operations in a mixed traffic container terminal environment, alongside other trucks, vehicles and pedestrians. The tractor received the job from the Terminal Operating System (TOS), and then drove to the correct location where a container was being loaded or offloaded by an RTG, Reach Stacker or Mobile Harbour Crane (MHC). After performing the experiment, Terberg Group has received another approval for further development of unmanned tractors and their deployment at the intermodal terminals to increase efficiency, reduce the risk of people working in a hazardous environment and overcome the shortage of drivers.
Living Lab Autonomous Transport project
The tests, which were carried out in Vlissingen, are a part of the Living Lab Autonomous Transport Zeeland project, which aims to develop an innovative transport solution in which an autonomous (i.e. driverless) tractor can drive safely in a mixed traffic container terminal. The project is supported by the European Fund for Regional Development, the Dutch government, and the Province of Zeeland, within the framework of the OPZuid regional development programme.