A driverless electric truck has begun making deliveries in Sweden in what its creators believe to be a world first. Swedish start-up Einride has begun testing its “driverless electric lorry†which will deliver cargo via the Swedish public road system.
The T-Pod, which weighs 26 tonnes when fully loaded, does not have a driver in the cabin. It has permission to make short trips between a warehouse and a terminal on a public road in an industrial area in Jonkoping, central Sweden, at up to 5km/hr (3mph).
It is being tested out by developer Einride and logistics company DB Schenker. The company behind it, Einride, estimates that it will reduce road freight operating costs by about 60 per cent compared to a diesel truck with a driver.
The T-Pod will not be completely autonomous, as an operator sitting miles away will be able to supervise and control up to 10 vehicles at a time. Having a permit to use the semi-autonomous truck on public roads to make deliveries was a major milestone, according to the company, who see it as a step to commercialising autonomous technology on roads.
They hope to have two hundred vehicles in operation by the end of 2020. Besides Schenker, the company also has orders from German supermarket chain Lidl, Swedish delivery company Svenska Retursystem and five Fortune 500 retail companies.
Einride will apply for more public route permits next year and has plans to expand in the United States, which they view as the “first market to scale†when it comes to autonomous vehicles.
