Factory-Integrated Autonomy for Terminal Tractors
Scott Sanders, Chief Growth Officer at Forterra, on autonomy for every vehicle
This reveals that Forterra is trying to win as a built in vehicle system, not as an after market robotics kit. In commercial yards, terminal tractor buyers care less about a flashy pilot and more about ordering trucks from Kalmar that already have the steering, braking, sensors, autonomy computer, and fleet software wired in at production, because that is the only way cost, safety certification, service, and large fleet rollout can work at scale.
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Kalmar and Forterra split the job in a way that matches this model. Kalmar builds the automation ready tractor, including the integrated drive by wire layer, while Forterra adds the AutoDrive autonomy stack. That means the autonomy product is designed into the vehicle architecture, not bolted on later.
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This matters because terminal tractors are a low margin fleet purchase. A warehouse or port operator will not want to buy a normal truck, then pay extra for a second company to retrofit actuators and controls. Factory integration lowers unit cost, simplifies maintenance, and gives the buyer one OEM backed product line.
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Forterra picked a market where OEM integration can actually scale. Kalmar controls more than 70% of the US terminal tractor market by Scott Sanders' account, and Kalmar One already manages automated fleets. So one partnership can reach many yards through an existing manufacturer and installed software system, instead of requiring Forterra to sell site by site.
The next phase is a shift from pilots to production programs. Kalmar and Forterra moved from a joint development agreement in March 2024 to unveiling AutoTT in April 2025, with proof of concept in 2025 and planned production in late 2026. If that rollout lands, autonomy in yards starts looking like a standard OEM option on new terminal tractors, which is where this market gets real volume.