Sweden begins first public road trials of electric autonomous truck

Sweden-based start-up Einride, which is working on bringing out an autonomous all-electric truck or 'T-pod' had partnered global logistic service provider DB Schenker last year, when the partners undertook the first installation of the T-pod at a DB Schenker facility in Jonkoping, Sweden. This the company says was the first commercial installation of its kind in the world.

On March 7, the Swedish Transport Agency and Einride conducted a so-called Site Acceptance Test (SAT) – a test under real-world conditions – at the facility in Jonkoping. The government agency concluded that the T-pod is able to operate in accordance with Swedish traffic regulations. Now Einride has announced that it has got the approval from the Swedish Transport Agency for public road/real world trial of the T-pod.

Jochen Thewes, CEO, DB Schenker, said: “Autonomous trucks will become increasingly important for the logistics sector. Together with Einride, we are now able to introduce autonomous, fully electric trucks to a continuous flow on a public road – a milestone in the transition to the transport system of tomorrow.”

Robert Falck, CEO and founder, Einride said: “Heavy road transport is responsible for a substantial part of global CO2 emissions. The pilot in Jonkoping is a small but important step towards a sustainable transport system. The permit from the Swedish Transport Agency is an important testimonial to the safety of the solution.”

The permit from the Swedish agency applies to a short distance on a public road within an industrial area – between a warehouse and a terminal – where traffic speeds are typically low. The permit is valid until December 31, 2020. The partners will begin using the T-pod for daily transport between a warehouse and a terminal later this year.

Einride and DB Schenker initiated their partnership in April 2018. The agreement includes the pilot in Jonkoping and an option for additional pilots internationally. Ericsson and Telia have provides the installation with high performance, 5G-based connectivity.