Scania has demonstrated a new level of autonomous vehicle precision, completing a stunt in which two self-driving trucks moved in synchronisation to allow a professional mountain biker to jump between them.
The challenge saw the autonomous trucks create an opening of less than one second as they travelled towards each other. Red Bull athlete Matt Jones successfully cleared the gap, marking what Scania describes as a world-first demonstration of its AI-driven autonomy technology.
The project brought together teams from Scania, Red Bull and PlusAI, and involved advanced software development, repeated practice runs and extensive safety checks over several months.
Scania says the stunt highlights how the company is integrating autonomous technology into its broader shift toward safer and more sustainable transport.
“Transport is a cornerstone of our daily lives, and with that comes enormous responsibility to get goods to the right person or company in the most safe and efficient way. This challenge was a glimpse of what’s possible when breakthrough autonomous technology delivers precision and safety you can count on,” Scania head of autonomous solutions Peter Hafmar says.
Scania is already deploying autonomous technology in commercial settings. Its self-driving mining trucks are available to customers, and the company is preparing for on-road autonomous freight transport through hub-to-hub operations.
Scania is operating on European roads with safety drivers in partnership with PlusAI, and says its combination of in-house software, its existing truck platform and PlusAI’s AI-based systems will enable “safe, scalable and factory-built” autonomous freight solutions.
