---
title: "This Swedish Startup Could Automate the Trucking Industry"
description: "Swedish startup Einride has unveiled a prototype for their T-Pod self-driving truck. It doesn't have space for a human driver."
date: "2017-07-07"
modified: "2017-07-07"
authors:
  - name: "Christianna Reedy"
    link: "https://futurism.com/authors/christianna"
url: "https://futurism.com/this-swedish-startup-could-automate-the-trucking-industry"
categories:
  - "Advanced Transport"
tags:
  - "autonomous driving"
  - "autonomous trucks"
  - "einride"
  - "self-driving vehicles"
---

# This Swedish Startup Could Automate the Trucking Industry

![](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Tpod_Material10.7349cfa0.jpg>)
*\<em\>Image: \<a href="https://www.einride.eu/#/product" target="\_blank"\>Einride\</a\>\</em\>*

At present, there are already a number of vehicles that feature autonomous driving softwares. As advanced as they are, these vehicles still haven't attained [Level 5 autonomy](<https://futurism.com/elon-musk-every-tesla-car-will-be-fully-autonomous-by-2017>) — reserved for truly autonomous systems. For Swedish startup [Einride](<https://www.einride.eu/#/>), however, this is the bar to meet, and they have developed a prototype vehicle that fully embraces the autonomous future.

![All images courtesy of Einride.](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Tpod_1.jpg>)
*Image Credit: Einride*

[Einride's T-Pod](<https://www.einride.eu/#/product>) is an all electric truck built for long-haul deliveries. The trailer, which is a little over 7 meters (23 feet) has space for cargo but lacks a cabin for a human driver or operator — as well as everything else that goes in a driving space, i.e. pedals, a steering wheel, and a windshield. It can be remotely controlled by a human operator or run completely free of human control.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UiMEBmlyjuo

The goal is to setup a complete transport system "running between the cities of Gothenburg and Helsingborg, Sweden, and the first active system will cover a capacity of 2,000,000 pallets per year," according to[ an Einride press release](<https://www.einride.eu/#/pressrelease>). The prototype, unveiled at [a week-long Swedish political event](<http://www.almedalsveckan.info/>), is set for testing this year. If all goes well, international distribution would soon follow.

![](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/t-pod-trailer.png>)
*Image Credit: Einride*

Long-haul trucking has always been the number one industry that seemed viable for a full autonomous takeover, as its mostly confined to the highway. Back in 2016, [Uber demonstrated](<https://futurism.com/50000-beers-ubers-self-driving-truck-just-made-its-first-delivery>) the potential for driverless trucks. Einride wants to turn that potential into reality.