Einride completes world’s first autonomous border crossing
The journey took place at the Ørje border crossing between Norway and Sweden, and is the first time a cabless autonomous border crossing has taken place.
Admittedly, the initiative has the support of the Norwegian Customs authorities; Einride’s onboard systems were integrated with the Norwegian digital customs tool Digitoll, so all goods were declared in advance. It’s worth noting as well as that Norway and Sweden share a particularly porous border, as both are Schengen countries with no checks for passports or immigration.
Additionally, the border crossing was a joint effort between partners on both the Swedish and Norwegian side, including PostNord, one of the Nordic region’s larger couriers. So, it’s not as if the truck simply drove itself across the border, and it’s not clear how well this kind of crossing would hold up on a stricter border, for example.
Regardless, it’s a bold demonstration of the EU-backed MODI project, which seeks to enable the roll-out of heavy-duty autonomous transportation across the transport and logistics industry.
Henrik Green, CTO and General Manager for Einride Autonomous Technologies, said: “We are immensely proud to have completed the world’s first cabless, electric, fully autonomous cross-border delivery. We are dedicated to continuously extending our capabilities into new applications, showcasing how autonomous technology can enhance transportation safety, efficiency, and sustainability.”
“The MODI project perfectly embodies this commitment, assisting in the realization of EU value-based objectives by thoughtfully balancing safety with innovation.”
It’s the latest in a series of milestones for Einride; earlier in September, the company deployed a fully autonomous HGV on a public road in Belgium for the first time. The safety-tested demonstration took place in the port of Antwerp-Bruges and was approved in accordance with Belgian legislation.
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