einride unveils cabinless, electric, self-driving pods and makes them available worldwide

swedish company, einride, has launched the next generation of its groundbreaking self-driving electric pod, with new functionality and pricing, making it commercially available on a global scale for the first time. the company, which was the first in the world to drive a fully autonomous and electric heavy transport vehicle on a public road, started its journey in 2017, and three years later we see how they’re shaping the future of freight mobility.

einride’s new pod features a refined design, making it more aerodynamic and functional, but also preparing it for wide-scale production and commercialization. lacking a driver’s compartment, the pod is completely autonomous, for which the company has created different levels of automatization. from purely assistive (level 0) to fully autonomous (level 5), einride stated levels 1 to 4 are available for pre-order based on individual needs.

‘the pod is a completely novel vehicle, and therefore doesn’t fit into existing standards, even for cutting-edge technologies like autonomy,’ comments pär degerman, CTO of einride. ‘we created the AET classification system based on use cases for a driverless, electric freight vehicle. with this approach, we are able to develop and scale our capabilities in the most common and appropriate use cases for freight, with the ultimate goal of automating as much of the transport network as possible.’

the pod’s iconic shape has been refined for the next generation, both to improve functionality and to prepare it for production at scale. the rounded edges and features give it a more aerodynamic shape for improved performance, but do not impede on cargo capacity. additionally, high-performance lighting is integrated into the pod’s signature frontal feature, making it both road legal and instantly recognizable. the rear lights have been extended the entire height of the cargo bay for maximum visibility for other road users, improving safety and emphasizing the functionality of the design.

‘tthe design of the new pod reflects our changing identity as a company. with our recent brand identity project, a central focus was on the symbiotic relationship between software and hardware in freight mobility. it’s a symbol of our accomplishments in pioneering the category of AET, but also emphasizes our commitment to developing software solutions that make the transition to sustainable freight seamless,’ says linnéa kornehed, CMO and co-founder of einride.

project info:

name: next generation pod

company: einride

type: self-driving electric truck