EUROPE: The Flex Freight System which wagon leasing company Wascosa and chemical manufacturer BASF have developed for the transport of chemicals by rail and then autonomous vehicle was exhibited at the Transport Logistic trade fair in München in mid-May.
The tank container has approximately the same load capacity as a tank wagon and can be stored and moved by rail and road in a similar manner to standard containers. A bespoke carrier makes it possible to transfer it to a driverless vehicle for movement around a factory.
‘We have been talking about automatic driving for a very long time and we have also been active in this area for a long time’, said Karel Smits, of container handling systems supplier VDL. ‘But it is only at Transport Logistic 2017 that we have the impression that the market and the technical possibilities are coming together.’
