Swedish freight technology company Einride has deployed a fully autonomous heavy goods vehicle on a public road in Belgium for the first time. The demonstration took place at the Port of Antwerp-Bruges and received approval under Belgian legislation, the company said on Thursday.
Einride described the port as one of the most complex logistics hubs in the world, adding that autonomous systems could streamline goods flows and reduce emissions by using resources more efficiently. The company has previously run tests in the United States, the Middle East and elsewhere in Europe and said the latest trial was part of its wider rollout plan across the continent.
The vehicle used is a purpose-built cabless truck, designed to operate with minimal human oversight. “Because of its purpose-built cabless vehicle, Einride also has the ability to scale with less than one remote operator per vehicle,” the company noted.
“Now in our third European country, Einride continues to demonstrate success in securing permits and achieving first-of-their-kind deployments,” said Henrik Green, CTO and General Manager for Einride Autonomous Technologies. “Today in Antwerp, we showcase how public and private sectors can come together toward shared goals. European Ports, such as Antwerp-Bruges, are essential for decarbonizing logistics and secure our supply chains.”
Jean-Luc Crucke, Belgium’s Minister of Mobility, Climate and Ecological Transition, said the trial reflected the country’s ambition to lead in sustainable transport innovation. “With the approval of the first autonomous level 4 truck in Belgium, we are taking a step toward safer transport and demonstrating that our country can play a pioneering role in the mobility of tomorrow,” he said.
