Can off-highway machines truly drive themselves — and what stands in the way? At iVT Expo Cologne 2026, iVT International editor Tom Stone moderated a standing-room-only panel exploring the state of autonomous systems in the off-highway sector, the challenges of scaling them and the regulatory pressures shaping their future. Joining the discussion were Michael Schwall, expert research engineer, Volvo CE; Dr Stefano Fiorati, director of powertrain innovation, CNH; Agni Biswas, autonomous control systems engineer at Danfoss Power Solutions and Fredrik Wahlström, senior product line manager for onboard computing, Cross Control, part of Scanreco.
The panel moved from autonomous hauling as the sector’s earliest proving ground through to the distinct challenges of agriculture and construction, where machines must actively sense and interact with material and terrain. The conversation also tackled some of the toughest questions facing the industry: validation and understanding when systems fail, the operator interface that remains essential even in driverless operation, standardisation and the risks of proprietary lock-in and the thorny question of liability when an autonomous system goes wrong.
With the EU Machinery Regulation coming into force in January 2027 and AI Act requirements applying to high-risk functions, the panel closed on the regulatory horizon, the role of AI and machine learning in solving the hardest problems and why self-diagnosis will be critical for machines operating without an operator.
