“The future of freight is safer, more efficient, and built on trust.” — Sasko Cuklev, Volvo Autonomous Solutions

Fort Worth, TX — The future of trucking is rolling down Texas highways. Volvo Autonomous Solutions is bringing its hub-to-hub model to life — an operational design that blends automation with human expertise to move freight safely and efficiently while addressing driver shortages.

The hub-to-hub model

In this setup, a human driver hauls freight from the customer site to a nearby autonomous hub. There, the trailer is transferred to an autonomous Volvo VNL truck, which drives the highway segment entirely on its own. Upon arrival at another hub near the destination, a human driver finishes the last mile.

“It’s not as simple as just putting a robot in a truck and sending it off,” says Sasko Cuklev, Head of On-Road Solutions at Volvo Autonomous Solutions. Each load undergoes a 120-point inspection before departure.

Why Texas?

Texas was selected for its high freight demand, favorable weather, and permissive regulatory framework. The state offers a major freight corridor connecting key cities — ideal conditions for Volvo’s autonomous freight pilot with DHL.

Safety by design

Safety remains the cornerstone of the Volvo brand. The Volvo VNL Autonomous, built in Dublin, Virginia, is designed from the ground up for autonomy, featuring redundant steering, braking, power, and communication systems to ensure safe operation without a driver behind the wheel.

Volvo has partnered with Aurora and Waabi to integrate their autonomy stacks directly into the vehicle for a seamless, safe, and scalable solution.

The human factor

While the trucks drive themselves, people remain central to operations — handling inspections, service, logistics, and remote monitoring. Local driver roles are expected to grow as they handle first and last mile deliveries.

What’s next

Volvo continues pilot operations across Texas, preparing for a driverless future once safety validation is complete.

“We learn every day,” Cuklev says. “We want our customers to feel safe, confident, and excited about this new chapter in freight transportation.”