STOCKHOLM, Oct 13 — Swedish startup Einride has unveiled a surprising new fully-electric driverless delivery truck that can be controlled remotely, working on the same principle as a drone. The vehicle is set to land in four different variations, now available to pre-order.
Since these autonomous trucks have no drivers, there’s no need for a cab. This contributes to the sleek, streamlined design of the company’s latest cabless Pod.
It is a fully autonomous vehicle that can travel from A to B with no assistance. However, an operator can take control remotely at any time for a particular manoeuvre or an unexpected detour.
The truck can be customised to suit the needs of individual businesses, so while the platform stays the same, some technical specifications — such as maximum speed — can vary.
Four different Autonomous Electric Transport (AET) levels are currently available to order. AET 1 is aimed at small, closed facilities with predefined routes suitable for fully autonomous operation.
AET 2 is also aimed at closed facilities, but adds the possibility of using nearby public roads for short distances.
AET 3 allows use on secondary roads at a top speed of 45 km/h. Finally, the most advanced and ambitious version, AET 4, includes a mode for autonomous driving on highways at speeds of up to 85 km/h.
The latter two options aren’t expected to be delivered before late 2022 or early 2023.
Einride’s aim is to develop and generalise the use of autonomous electric transportation worldwide. — AFP-Relaxnews
