Einride gets approval to operate self-driving trucks on U.S. roads

Electric self-driving trucking company Einride has received approval from the U.S. Highway Safety Administration (NHTSA) to operate its self-driving electric transportation (AET) trucks on U.S. public roads,media reported.The company will set up a pilot project where the trucks, called Pods, will be operated by Remote Pod Operators.

Einride, a freight technology company founded in Sweden in 2016, developselectrifiedcommercial Class 8 trucks and trailers, some of which feature autonomous driving.Its Pod model, a pure electric driverless truck without a driver's seat, began testing on Swedish roads in 2019.Last November, Einride announced its entry into the U.S. market and announced plans for a new headquarters in New York.

Image credit: Einride

Einride said this is the first time a fully driverless electric truck has been licensed to operate on U.S. public roads.The company also said that their customer, General Electric, will serve as the lead partner for a new pilot project that will test and demonstrate the commercialization capabilities of driverless electric Pod trucks.

To remove the driver inside the self-driving vehicle, a remote pod operator will monitor the vehicle at all times.Einride believes that remote operators are a key player in ensuring the safe mass adoption of autonomous vehicles.The public road pilot project will begin at a GE manufacturing facility in the third quarter of this year, and the pilot will build on the current GE and Einride business.

These self-driving-capable Pod trucks will also be tested on mixed-traffic U.S. public roads

Their real-world work execution processes include their day-to-day operations, such as the movement of goods, and coordination with multiple warehouse teams to ensure efficient loading and unloading.