CLARKSBURG, Md. — Yard truck maker Kalmar, part of Cargotec, and Forterra (formerly RRAI) have signed a joint development agreement for autonomous terminal tractor solutions.
According to a news release, Kalmar will be responsible for developing the automation-ready terminal tractor — including the drive-by-wire solution integration — as well as the Kalmar One fleet management system to manage the operation of automated terminal tractor fleets.
Forterra, a provider of autonomous systems for ground-based movement in the working world, will be responsible for the integration of their AutoDrive platform for autonomous operations for the terminal tractor.
The company is among the earliest innovators in the field of driverless technology and has provided autonomous solutions for the U.S. Department of Defense and off highway commercial applications.
“This agreement brings together our vast experience in developing world-class autonomous systems and Kalmar’s extensive experience in port and terminal automation with their market-leading terminal tractor product, said Josh Araujo, Forterra’s CEO. “We believe AutoDrive is the best platform to create a compelling new offering for the container and trailer-handling market.”
Juuso Kanner, vice president of automation business line at Kalmar, said that automated operations will eventually become the standard in the container-handling industry.
“… there is huge potential in automating terminal tractors in terms of safety and productivity,” Kanner said. “This development agreement is the next exciting step in our innovation journey after the successful Kalmar RoboTractor pilot done in Norway and utilising the learnings we took from that. Now we will leverage our extensive experience in straddle carrier automation, which has been adopted by a number of leading container terminals around the world. Forterra’s position as a global leader in autonomous driving systems makes them the ideal partner for this exciting initiative.”
Born in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, and raised in East Texas, John Worthen returned to his home state to attend college in 1998 and decided to make his life in The Natural State. Worthen is a 20-year veteran of the journalism industry and has covered just about every topic there is. He has a passion for writing and telling stories. He has worked as a beat reporter and bureau chief for a statewide newspaper and as managing editor of a regional newspaper in Arkansas. Additionally, Worthen has been a prolific freelance journalist for two decades, and has been published in several travel magazines and on travel websites.
