Einride Gets NHTSA Approval to Test Driverless Pods on US Roads
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Electric truck maker Einride AB has received approvals to test its driverless vehicle on public roads in the U.S., paving the way for the company to conduct a pilot with partner GE Appliances.
The approval from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration marks “the first time a purpose-built autonomous, electric truck without a driver on board receives public road permission,” Einride said June 23.
The Swedish company’s driverless Einride Pod will be remotely monitored by a human operator, while transporting goods on public roads with mixed traffic. Initially, it is just one cabless pod on the streets as well as tests with teams at various warehouses for loading and unloading.
A historic step forward: Einride has secured @NHTSAgov approval to operate its autonomous and electric Einride Pod on US public roads.
Read about what the industry-first approval from NHTSA will mean for US road freight: https://t.co/pxkRk50PAi pic.twitter.com/nPkS4egZ8k — Einride (@einrideofficial) June 23, 2022
Einride and GE Appliances, a Haier company, partnered last October to implement Einride’s electric and cabless pods on a GEA campus in Louisville, Ky. The first tests took place on predetermined routes and a controlled environment.
“We believe that the technology needed for mass adoption of autonomy is here and ready now,” Einride CEO Robert Falck said in an email. “This NHTSA approval is a critical step to make sure the mass adoption of autonomous and electric, specifically for the U.S., is in the near future.”
The public road pilot will take place in the third quarter.
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