Einride, together with partners including the Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute (VTI, Statens väg- och transportforskningsinstitut), is to develop an autonomous tracked vehicle for civil and military logistics. The project forms part of a Swedish initiative to strengthen civil and military preparedness through so-called dual-use solutions.
According to a press release from Einride, the vehicle will be capable of transporting standardised EU pallets and will be equipped with the company's autonomous driving system, Einride Driver. The system is intended for use in transporting goods such as food and medicine in rural areas during peacetime, as well as for military logistics tasks during crisis or conflict.
The project is led by VTI and brings together approximately 40 public and private stakeholders. Participants include the Swedish Defence University (Försvarshögskolan), Saab, BAE Systems Bofors, Lund University (southern Sweden), and Telenor Sverige.
"Einride's autonomous driving system is vehicle-agnostic and can be used across multiple platforms beyond our own autonomous electric trucks. By participating in the project, we hope to demonstrate the value that Einride Driver can provide for society and national preparedness," said Roozbeh Charli, Chief Executive Officer of Einride, in the press release.
Einride states that the company will receive 7.8 million Swedish kronor for its participation. According to the company, the initiative also contributes to NATO's research organisation, the Science and Technology Organization (STO), where Einride's researchers and engineers participate in so-called exploratory teams.