Hiivr Rail represents the evolution of freight in Western Australia.
In a real-word application, the Hiivr Rail concept would see freight containers move directly from a vessel to a future network of intermodal freight terminals and be available to customers within hours of being unloaded from a vessel.
Hiivr Rail’s autonomous wagon leverages self-driving technology that is already being used all over the world and tailors it to the rail environment for Westport.
The autonomous wagon includes technology which connects to logistics systems, providing safe, autonomous operations with real-time visibility of container movements.
Hiivr Rail is the name Arc Infrastructure has given the autonomous, battery powered wagon and its real-world application in WA. The edgier name and bold colours are intentional – based on the idea of bees working out and back from a hive, but strongly referencing technology and sustainability which are at the heart of the autonomous wagon concept.
The name and the prototype wagon were launched at a demonstration event in December 2023, attended by industry and government representatives.
The development of the Hiivr Rail concept commenced within Arc more than three years ago and, whilst Arc sees many future applications for the wagon across its network, the Hiivr concept was designed specifically with Westport in mind.
Through 2021 Arc developed a detailed concept of operation for the wagon. Around September 2021 we presented an animation of the concept for Westport to the WA State Government, including the Westport team and received overwhelmingly positive feedback.
Just as Arc commenced planning to build its first prototype wagon, in October 2021 Arc was introduced to Parallel Systems who in January of the same year had started a business specifically to develop an autonomous rail wagon. In 2022 Arc and Parallel entered into an agreement, the first for Parallel outside the United States, for the delivery of a prototype wagon to Arc. This is the same prototype which was delivered to Perth in mid-2023 and demonstrated later that year.
Additionally, during 2022, the Westport Landside Logistics Opportunities Study identified Arc’s autonomous wagon concept as one of the most prospective innovations in enabling a more efficient and sustainable logistics network in the future. Arc has continued to engage with the Westport team as part of their Supply Chain Integrated Design project, and continue to offer support as they work on the business case.
Developed with the future Westport in mind, Arc imagines Hiivr wagons moving containers directly from the future port to intermodal freight terminals, available to customers within hours of the container being unloaded from a ship. This will offer greater efficiency and flexibility in the container supply chain and place Westport as the most technologically advanced port operation in the world.
We can imagine intermodal locations, which have a constrained footprint and cannot accommodate a full-length train, being unlocked by the Hiivr Rail wagon. Arc knows the Hiivr wagon offers significant benefits to the State. The wagons produce zero greenhouse gas emissions and the batteries can be charged by 100% renewable energy.The wagons would also see a large number of trucks removed from the roads as rail mode share increases, delivering vast improvements to road safety.
The wagons could be assembled locally leveraging WA’s existing local automation and technology capabilities, strengthening rail manufacturing and support local job creation.
The next phase of the Hiivr project involves integration with Arc’s Train Control Systems. Arc’s internal team is already tackling this complex piece of work and is aiming to have an update on this progress towards the end of 2024.
Additionally, another key focus for 2024 is to continue working with ONRSR to receive an accreditation which will allow the wagon to be trialled on Arc’s mainline.
The Hiivr team is also investigating early commercialisation opportunities in Australia, ahead of the future Westport.
