Swedish freight technology company Einride has launched its autonomous transportation solutions in the USA.
Einride will provide a full range of products including new launch Einride Saga, an intelligent operating system for the movement of freight, and a new Einride Pod product line, with a US version of the Einride Pod and the new Flatbed Pod.
The US version of the Einride Pod will have the same autonomous technology as its European sibling, with SAE Level 4 self-driving technology and safety architecture to enable safe operations without a driver in the vehicle. However, it has been designed to be better adapted for US roads and conditions. The Flatbed Pod is a modular vehicle built to accommodate any kind of shipping needs, including transporting containers to make the transition between sea and road freight more seamless.
For its electric and autonomous transportation solutions, Einride has also hired the world’s first remote trucker to show how autonomous freight transportation improves working conditions and creates a new type of job, the Einride Pod Operator. This role will involve the oversight and control of multiple Pods in real time by one individual from a central location. In contrast to conventional trucking, Einride intends remote operation to be safer, involve more regular hours, and provide a more hospitable work environment. With this new role, Einride has committed to creating at least 2,000 new jobs within the first five years of operation in the USA.
Robert Falck, founder and CEO of Einride, said, “The innovative spirit of the US is the standard by which all others are measured, and the American transportation market is the biggest in the world. The US freight market is one of the most competitive and to be an industry leader you need to play in this league. We have the technology and solution to bring the biggest change in the freight industry since the adoption of the diesel truck 100 years ago.”
As an existing operator of a fleet of electric trucks in Europe, Einride aims to make the transformation to electric, autonomous freight transportation easier and more cost-effective. Since October 1, 2020, the company’s partners have used electrical transportation to decrease their CO2 emissions by 90%, while matching the cost of diesel. Backed by data gathered from its products, the company estimates that at least 40% of US road freight transportation could go electric today at the same cost as diesel or cheaper.
In conjunction with the official launch, Einride has signed a list of partners including technical partners Ericsson and Siemens. The company will officially establish a US headquarters in New York, where parts of the leadership team will be based. In addition to its headquarters, it will open up regional offices in Austin, San Francisco and the Southeast.