Autonomous trucks

Einride’s driverless, cabless electric trucks hit the mass market

  • Swedish trucking startup Einride makes its autonomous electric “Pods” available for pre-order.
  • Expert: Sweden’s collaborative, vehicle-centric economy drives autonomous trucking leadership.

Fresh off a $10 million raise, Swedish trucking technology startup Einride has put its autonomous electric trucks on the global market. Until now, the vehicles, known as “Pods,” had been deployed only in pilot projects.

CEO Robert Falck declined to tell FreightWaves how much the Pods would cost, saying only...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/einrides-driverless-cabless-electric-trucks-hit-mass-market

Feds deny Pronto.AI exemption from 14-hour driving window

Pronto.AI has failed to convince federal regulators that its technology is sufficient to safely allow for additional driving time during work shifts or would allow drivers to safely extend their 14-hour workday.

In a decision scheduled to be posted in the Federal Register on Monday, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) asserted that the autonomous trucking startup was not able to provide enough data to explain why its request for a five-year exemption from the 14-hour driving...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/feds-deny-prontoai-exemption-from-14-hour-driving-window

TuSimple scores another OEM partner, in Europe

Self-driving trucking technology company TuSimple is teaming up with the TRATON Group (ETR: 8TRA) to develop autonomous vehicles in Europe.

The collaboration, announced Wednesday, will work initially to operate a hub-to-hub route between the Swedish cities Södertälje and Jönköping using Scania trucks, a TRATON brand, according to a press statement

TRATON, the truck holding company of German automaker Volkswagen AG, also has taken a minority stake in TuSimple.

The agreement builds on an existing...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/tu-simple-scores-another-oem-partner-in-europe

The Daily Dash: Holiday shipping wars; drug testing; and autonomous trucks to hit the roadways

The Daily Dash is a quick look at what is happening in the freight ecosystem. In today’s edition, shippers can expect to pay much more this holiday season to move goods through FedEx’s or UPS’ networks. Plus, hair testing for drugs is closer to reality, and a new partnership aims to put 1,000 autonomous vehicles on the road.

Shipping wars

FedEx and UPS have a simple message to holiday shippers: It’s time to pay up. The package giants have rolled out peak-season charges that affect shippers...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/the-daily-dash-holiday-shipping-wars-drug-testing-and-autonomous-trucks-to-hit-the-roadways

The Daily Dash: Truckload sector shines bright; Amazon drones ready to fly

The Daily Dash is a quick look at what is happening in the freight ecosystem. In today’s edition, at least one analyst believes the truckload sector is ready to run in the second half of 2020. Plus, Amazon gets approval for drone delivery, Dallas is the new center of the autonomous world, and what to know to get through a visit from an insurance underwriter.

Truckload earnings shine bright

At least one analyst believes in the truckload market. An analyst with UBS (NYSE: UBS) has raised his...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/the-daily-dash-truckload-sector-shines-bright-amazon-drones-ready-to-fly

Waymo picks Dallas for driverless trucking hub

Waymo recently bolstered its self-driving truck program by expanding into Texas with a new hub in Dallas.

Waymo joins a growing number of driverless tech firms locating facilities or freight operations in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, including Aurora, Nuro, Kodiak Robotics and TuSimple.

“Operating in a major freight hub environment like Dallas, we can test our Waymo Driver on highly dense highways and shipper lanes, further understand how other truck and passenger car drivers behave on these...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/waymo-picks-dallas-for-driverless-trucking-hub

8 questions on truck stop issues with NATSO CEO Lisa Mullings

NATSO's Lisa Mullings and family

Lisa Mullings uniquely understands truckstop and travel plaza owners. After selling the family home in 2014, Mullings and her family traveled 40,000 miles in a 30-foot Airstream trailer, meeting hundreds of NATSO members along the way.

“In addition to talking to our members, we got to talk to a lot of professional drivers as well,” Mullings told FreightWaves in an interview. “We have a much bigger appreciation for how hard it is for drivers on the highway. Car drivers don’t realize how difficult...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/8-questions-on-truck-stop-issues-with-natso-ceo-lisa-mullings

The Daily Dash: Stopping the federal excise tax; drivers sounding off; and humans driving autonomous vehicles forward

Peterbilt truck

The Daily Dash is a quick look at what is happening in the freight ecosystem. In today’s edition, a group opposed to the federal excise tax (FET) on trucks and trailers is pushing to include a suspension of the tax in the latest pandemic relief bill. Plus, the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals honors Matthew Waller, drivers speak their mind, and humans hold the key to autonomous vehicles.

Get rid of that tax!

The push to eliminate the FET, which can add tens of thousands of dollars...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/the-daily-dash-stopping-the-federal-excise-tax-drivers-sounding-off-and-humans-driving-autonomous-vehicles-forward

The Daily Dash: Excess insurance; can autonomous vehicles fit in the last mile?

Truck insurance

The Daily Dash is a quick look at what is happening in the freight ecosystem. In today’s edition, fleets looking for excess insurance coverage are paying handsomely for it — if they can even find it. Plus, Landstar sees good times ahead, Waymo plans to test autonomous vehicles in the last mile, and Nikola breaks ground on a new manufacturing plant.

If you want excess insurance, you will pay for it

Many fleets turn to excess insurance to provide additional protection against claims beyond what...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/the-daily-dash-excess-insurance-can-autonomous-vehicles-fit-in-the-last-mile

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