In a keynote discussion at AUVSI’s XPONENTIAL in Orlando, Florida, Tomas Ohlson, a founding engineer at Einride, a Swedish transport company specializing in electric and self-driving vehicles, described his company's efforts in automating the delivery of freight.
 

Supply Chain Digitization

The automation of freight delivery - especially parcel delivery for the "last-mile" - is an attractive topic as supply chain logistics have taken center stage as the movement of goods seems more paramount than ever before.

Digitization, electrification, and automation are all key watchwords for Thomas Olson, a founding engineer at Einride, a six-year-old company, now 400 persons strong.  The company is on a mission to make road freight digitized and autonomous through their electric delivery trucks and autonomous pod vehicles. Their vehicles are a big help in curbing CO2 emissions, contributing to a more sustainable overall supply chain. 

Einride provides software-as-a-service (SaaS) as well as a newer venue when it comes to supply chain logistics: capacity-as-a-service (CaaS).  Olson emphasizes that the future of freight is digital.  It's part of their work in converting conventional truck transport from diesel drive to an electric one. 

One of their first steps in digitization is establishing a charging infrastructure with sufficient connectivity to off-load data from an autonomous electric vehicle.  This will allow pertinent data to be utilized by the end-to-end supply chain and its stakeholders.  It's all made possible with help from their SaaS and CaaS products.   
 

A Large-scale Digital Freight System?

Recently Einride announced a partnership with Maersk.  Maersk is adding 300 electric trucks to its North America network and be the largest heavy-duty electric truck deployment to date.  The trucks will be operated using Einride’s digital road freight operating system and charging solutions.  "The future of freight," says Olson, "is autonomous." 

Einride’s e-trucks are the first largescale use of their digital road freight operating system. By enabling data to be off-loaded via connected technologies to a remote platform, they enable decision-making with comprehensive data integration and full transparency across the electromobility spectrum.

In another project Einride is working with GE Appliances.  GE Appliances is embarking on a robust automation project that will help boost automation in U.S. manufacturing.   Einride is assisting by providing delivery capacity for GE Appliances using Einride’s electric vehicle and freight network with rich digitization. For GE Appliances, they're providing cost-effective freight transportation system, sustainable and safe, to move appliances to their destinations. 
 

Retraining Workers for Autonomous Freight

For the future of freight to be autonomous, however, Olson emphasizes that a skilled workforce is needed.

Einride demonstrated the need for skilled workers and their conversion of a legacy use case into an automated one.  His video showed Tiffany, a licensed truck driver, mother, and grandmother, who quickly learned the operation of Einride's pod, using her knowledge and expertise of trucking, while employing the cutting-edge technology created by Einride.  A different job, with automation, for the good of all.  And Tiffany - or any operator of a pod - may work in a job that Olson describes as one they "want and deserve."

Einride’s cumulative efforts demonstrate how the future of freight can be autonomous, but also sustainable, while providing new and desirable jobs.  They are committed to make the new, automated systems and workforce beneficial - not just for a few, but for all.