Chennai, 16th June, 2023: Ashok Leyland, the Indian flagship of the Hinduja Group and the country’s leading commercial vehicle manufacturer, and Aidrivers, the global specialist in AI-enabled autonomous solutions across industrial mobility are partnering to produce autonomous electric terminal trucks to address the Net Zero emissions needs of the port industry. The two companies will combine their specialist knowledge and experience to meet the demands of sustainable autonomous transportation in the port industry.
This unique truck model, which will be based on an Ashok Leyland platform and equipped with Aidrivers’ autonomous eco-system will be produced at Ashok Leyland’s manufacturing facilities. Orders can be placed now for delivery in 2024, and the inaugural fleet of vehicles is anticipated to be ready for real terminal operations early next year.
Dr. N Saravanan, President and Chief Technology Officer, Ashok Leyland, said, “Ashok Leyland has been a pioneer in introducing new technology and innovation in the commercial vehicle space. We are delighted to collaborate with Aidrivers and look forward to working together to create and develop the country’s first autonomous electric terminal truck. We believe this will drive the industry forward in the coming years. We continue to innovate and leverage new technology, and our goal is to be a responsible and sustainable CV manufacturer. Our solutions are aligned with our country’s mission to be a leader in sustainable and environment-friendly mobility technologies.”
Dr Rafiq Swash, Founder and CEO, Aidrivers said, “We are excited to work with Ashok Leyland, and jointly produce an autonomous electric terminal truck, bespoke designed for autonomous operations in a demanding and harsh port environment. This ground-breaking AV/EV will set an important standard with milestones for both Net Zero and autonomous automation, and a platform on which we will expand the presence of 'Aidrivers’ AI-enabled autonomous ecosystem for port operations. We are excited about the possibilities and look forward to working together to create innovative, ground-breaking autonomous electric terminal trucks.”
Aidrivers and Ashok Leyland are confident of delivering exceptional value and innovative AI-enabled autonomous automation in port operations.