Scania’s team of engineers have concocted up an incredible concept truck called AXL, giving onlookers a jaw-dropping glimpse into the future of heavy duty vehicles.
At first glance, the truck is sure to make onlookers do a double take - there’s no driver, let alone a cab to sit anywhere in sight. That’s because the Scania AXL is fully autonomous and packed with lots of cool technology. There’s certainly more to this powerhouse than meets the eye.
Swedish manufacturer Scania makes heavy duty vehicles such as the Scania P-Series and other commercial transportation. With the AXL, Scania didn’t appear to hold back in putting their best resources and ideas into this advanced machine.
Meet AXL: Scania’s enormous, cabless, self-driving truck you have to see (in the following features) to believe.
Looks Straight Out Of Science Fiction
The Scania AXL wouldn’t look out of place in the cult classic Blade Runner. It’s got a sleek exterior that makes it one attractive piece of machinery.
Xavi Carreras Castro, the team leader of vehicle styling for the Scania AXL, notes that mining trucks usually have a cab and a tipper. The Scania AXL, however, has a module instead of a cab to go with its tipper.
“We’ve aimed for an integrated styling with a more dynamic design language,” shared Carreras Castro on Scania’s official website.
The Project Lasted About One Year
According to Project Manager Erik Falkgrim in “The Making of Scania AXL – Autonomous Truck Documentary,” a YouTube video uploaded by Scania Group, the timespan for the project was “about a year.” Considering all the work that was put into the Scania AXL, it’s incredible the team accomplished this feat in such a short amount of time.
The project involved sketches to figure out the AXL’s appearance and, of course, lots of building. In the video, Senior Engineer Magnus Granström remarks that the project required different team members with various backgrounds working together. “We have everything from technical doctors to normal engineers like me,” said Granström, “who try to come to an agreement on the best way to build this.”
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Equipped With Cameras, Radar, And Lidar Sensors
In place of a driver, the Scania AXL uses cameras, radar, and lidar sensors to get around. Each one serves its own function to help the Scania AXL operate, but it’s not exactly easy to understand.
The video shows Granström bury his head in a facepalm muttering, “Oh man, how do I explain this in a simple way?” After briefly collecting his thoughts, he explains that all of the data captured by sensors is converted into a map that the computer can read. The map contains details such as where there are obstacles so that the Scania AXL can navigate around them.
So far, the Scania AXL can tackle work at mines. It would be really cool to see the Scania AXL in action at a construction site. It’s a concept that looks to have a promising future in store.
Sources: YouTube channel Scania Group, Scania.com