Cars could soon deliver themselves

A new system, developed by Semcon in collaboration with seven other companies, has shown that vehicles could soon be transported through the logistics chain without a driver. The new research project, called “Born to Drive”, has developed a new software which enables vehicles to move themselves.

At the moment, the project is designed to “steer vehicles from the production line out to a collection point to await further transport.” However, according to Semcon, the system can also be adapted to streamline other parts of the logistics chain like moving vehicles onto trucks, trains or ships.

“We are seeing autonomous technology starting to become a reality in more and more industries,” says Markus Granlund, CEO of Semcon. “The technology is now ready to move from vision to practical application. The transformation will be rapid.”

Johan Isacson, project manager for Born to Driver, said: “What makes Born to Drive unique is that it is entirely a software solution. This makes the system both cost-efficient and scalable. Since there is already a working prototype, the system could be implemented within just a few years.”

The Born to Drive system also has a back-end system which controls the entire logistics flow and keeps track of the cars’ locations and fuel levels.