Volvo CE unveils ZEUX: How a LEGO model designed with kids became a prototype for a real autonomous wheel loader

Of all the major heavy equipment manufacturers, none has been more outwardly committed to bringing futuristic, autonomous and electrified machines to real-world quarries and jobsites than Volvo. For the last few years, Volvo has been publicly sharing updates on the progress of autonomous machine prototypes like its HX2 carrier (a cab-less, self-driving dump truck) and LX1 wheel loader, and electrified prototypes like the EX1 cable-connected excavator.

And though Volvo has plans to get the latest versions of those machines working at a real Skanska quarry this fall, the company isn’t letting up on its push for innovation. The manufacturer even found an opportunity to use its partnership with LEGO to inform the design of its future machines.

This week, Volvo and Lego, which have partnered on highly detailed Lego Technic models for the L350F wheel loader and the EW160E wheeled excavator, unveiled what they call ZEUX. This latest Lego Technic set will hit store shelves in August, the companies say, but the bigger news here is that Volvo says the model also serves as a digital prototype for a real-world autonomous machine.

Volvo says ZEUX started out as a “fun, informal team building event,” meant to provide a bit of inspiration not only for Lego’s design team, but for Volvo CE‘s as well. The exercise gave the two design teams an idea. With the next LEGO Technic sets, the two would work together to “design the construction machines of the future.” They even decided to bring a focus group of kids in to weigh in on what makes a feature futuristic and cool

But as Volvo’s head of Brand Communications and Partnerships, Arvid Rinaldo, explains, the collaboration has evolved well beyond a LEGO set. In fact, Volvo says the work on ZEUX has “led to a number of potentially revolutionary patents.”

“We have enjoyed a truly fun and productive collaboration with the LEGO^® Technic team over the past few years. It allowed us to test ideas for new types of construction machines for the future, both in terms of functionality, scale, design and interaction. This model may seem futuristic now, but autonomous, connected and electric construction machines are already starting to be a reality. The Volvo Concept Wheel Loader ZEUX is a realistic next step in the exciting evolution of our construction machines.”