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“Einride” Pod Is Ready to Bring Autonomous Shipping to the World

It’s done, folks. That future where autonomous vehicles are running round our streets guided only by radar, navigations systems, and satellites, is here.
Next Gen Pod 7 photos
Photo: Einride
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By now you’ve probably read the all the news and are starting to get an idea of what it is that’s going round worldwide. But in case you’ve missed it, we’re here to make sure you look up. It’s called the Next Gen Pod and is created by a pioneer in the autonomous game, Einride.

It’s all quite simple really. I want you to imagine a scenario for a moment. You’re driving along the highway with the family. Your significant other on the right and children in the back. Suddenly in view, about 200 yards away, you see the rear of a semi. Knowing the kids haven’t experienced an 18-wheeler's horns, you plan the classic pull-up and entice the driver to honk thingy.

You get closer and closer, drive along the trailer, and finally are alongside the cab. Excited to start the old “pull the horn” arm gesture, you look to see the driver. But there’s no door in which to look through. It’s probably on the left side of the semi so you pull a little forward to see the driver through the windshield.

Next Gen Pod
Photo: Einride
It’s here you finally realize that there is no windshield either. This also means no door and no windows. You then realize that this vehicle doesn’t even include a driver. That’s right folks, it's fully autonomous. And the best thing yet is that it’s palpable. It’s even been tested in Sweden since 2019. The world is now ready. But it’s not always that simple when you want to make things a reality.

Knowing these bad boys have been running round Sweden already, it would be redundant to say that they work. And so, we’re rather left with what it can do. And honestly, it can do quite a bit taking into consideration there is no driver!

To start it is a 100% electric, or an EV as we know them. Zero emissions, folks. The entire vehicle comes in at 26 tons, average weight for something this size, so right within preexisting limits. On top of it all, it comes with a payload limit of 16 tons or 15-18 pallets of goods. That alone is more than enough for the European market it was born in. But how does that size up to the U.S.? We’re going to have to wait a bit before we find out.

With all those goods, the Pod can travel upwards of 111 miles (180km). This may not be enough to do any sort of cross-border transportation, but as a local distribution system, it seems to work just fine. After-all how often do you find a warehouse more than fifty miles away from a point-of-sales (POS)? But in case distances are greater, this EV can also charge itself automatically.

Next Gen Pod
Photo: Einride
But being a 100% functioning autonomous cargo vehicle, there are a few safety issues that revolve around the subject. How safe are they is really the question here. Well, they employ a number of safety systems needed for autonomous guidance, which is standard, but the pods also allow for remote operations if they are ever needed.

If you do want to grab an Einride for your own distributional needs however, you can. With a reservation fee of $10,000 and upward of a $22,500 service fee for highway functionality.

Now, it’s really happening folks, and rather than fight the wave, why don’t we make it easier and help facilitate this change? Hell, it seems to be able to complete the Top Gear track effortlessly and with its safe 28 mph (45kph) operations speed, I don’t see why we shouldn’t be seeing these rolling round pretty soon.
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About the author: Cristian Curmei
Cristian Curmei profile photo

A bit of a nomad at heart (being born in Europe and raised in several places in the USA), Cristian is enamored with travel trailers, campers and bikes. He also tests and writes about urban means of transportation like scooters, mopeds and e-bikes (when he's not busy hosting our video stories and guides).
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