Einride and Lidl deploy Germany’s first autonomous electric truck

In a major milestone for autonomous vehicle technology in Germany, electric transportation specialist Einride has worked with Lidl to deploy the country’s first cab-less electric truck, now taking on a key role in Lidl’s supply chain.

Autonomous trucks now operating in Germany The vehicle operates with Level 4 autonomy, with no driver or safety operator on board, and runs under a first-of-its-kind permit granted by Germany’s vehicle regulator.

The Level 4 autonomy level means the truck is limited to a specific geographical boundary, and in this case, the truck currently transports goods between a Lidl distribution centre and a Lidl supermarket.

Roozbeh Charli, Chief Executive Officer at Einride, commented: “Einride is already running real autonomous deliveries, with real volumes on real schedules with customers in the US and Europe.

Thomas Dangelmayer, Head of Operational Logistics at Lidl Germany, added: “Intelligence creates efficiency, and that is the backbone for permanently reliable product availability.