Transport technology company Einride announced it received approval from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for an Autonomous Electric Transport (AET) vehicle operation-worthy test on public roads in the United States (US).
This is the first time a custom-built self-driving electric truck without a driver has received a permit to use public roads in the US.
Einride will use the agreement to conduct public road trials with GE Appliances, to support the operational flow of its customers and thereby showcase the functionality of the Einride Pod that is tailor-made for future commercialization.
The autonomous electric truck has no space for the driver inside because it is built without a front cab. The way it operates, this truck is monitored remotely by the Remote Pod Operator.
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Robert Falck, Founder & CEO of Einride said that they have seen operators as critical to the safe scaling of autonomous vehicles by keeping people in the loop and creating jobs to fulfill the delivery way of the future.
“This is a type of vehicle never before seen on US roads and marks an important milestone as a turning point for the future of the shipping industry. We know the autonomous and electric technology of our pods will not only revolutionize transportation but also create thousands of jobs and help America stay competitive.” ” he explained, Saturday (6/25/2022).
General road trials will take place in Tennessee in the third quarter of 2022 and will be conducted at GE Appliances’ manufacturing facilities as well as complementing other existing operations together.
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“We appreciate working with Einride in demonstrating how their Pod technology can help us accelerate the achievement of future goals,” said Bill Good, Vice President of Supply Chain for GE Appliances.
The Einride Pod is the world’s first autonomous electric vehicle to operate on public roads. The company is the first to have an operational autonomous EV fleet on US soil in partnership with GEA by 2021.
