Millions in order of VDL self-driving cars

Industrial group VDL has won a large order from Singapore. The Eindhoven-based company supplies the port authority of the Asian country with eighty self-driving vehicles for transporting cargo. According to VDL, the deal involves tens of millions of euros, but a precise amount is not disclosed.

These are electric vehicles with a maximum lifting weight of 65 tonnes, comparable to eight light city buses without passengers, according to VDL. Thanks to tricks such as sensors, scanners and computer technology, the trucks can drive around unmanned for the transport of containers.

The first driverless trucks from this order will be driving through the port from 2021. Nevertheless, the VDL vehicles are not entirely new to the Singaporeans, because in 2015 there were already two prototypes around. Now that the port of the city-state has large expansion plans, dozens of new ones are being added.