VIDEO: Volvo shows off self-driving garbage trucks

Swedish truck maker, Volvo, has released a video of a new prototype garbage truck that harnesses the autonomous driving tech that has been developed for passenger cars.

Created in cooperation with waste management firm, Renova, the video shows off what's heralded as the garbo truck of the future.

Instead of a small team to operate it, Volvo's vision employs just one driver/operator.

That's because while the single employee feeds the rear trash compactor both hardware and software developed by the car maker takes care of all the driving.

Using the same sensors and GPS mapping, that Volvo cars come equipped with in its partnership with Uber to develop self-driving cars, the autonomous truck can accurately map out its collection route all by itself.

The mapping process, claims Volvo, is carried out in just one visit to a built-up urban environment.

After that first exploratory drive, the truck can then take over from its human trash feeder and drive the route autonomously.

The clever tech sees the truck follow the operative slowly and safely down the road to the next garbage bin collection.

Impressively, the truck reverses and can steer around any obstacles it detects.

The advantages of its self-driving capability, the safety-obsessed Swedish truck maker says, is unlike a human-operated vehicle the garbo truck can continuously detect any new obstacle - like a small child and instantly react accordingly.

Other benefits include a reduction in repetitive injuries caused by climbing in and out of the truck's cabin.

Volvo say more development and testing is needed before the self-driving garbage truck enters production and hasn't announced when it plans to offer the driverless truck for sale.

In the meantime, the Swedish brand says, expect more and more autonomous driving aids to be offered on all its trucks (and cars) in the near future.