For our next site visit, we went to Einride, which is disrupting the trucking industry with automated electric trucks. They believe that the future of all transportation is electric, autonomous, and digital. Einride is going electric by doing away with the internal combustion engine and diesel power in favor of electric trucks bought from manufacturers around the world. Currently, they are using vehicles that are driven remotely, but eventually, the goal is for the vehicles to be completely autonomous. This process can be implemented with their digital software platform for routing logistics and strategically placing charging stations. They are in the beginning stages of their truck implementation and can only operate in fenced-off areas. Permits and better infrastructure will be needed to drive on public roads. During our site visit, we were given the opportunity to work on a case study and suggest opportunities and challenges of rolling out autonomous trucks on a large scale. A significant challenge that Einride is facing is the public perception of autonomous vehicles. One solution is to educate the public by bringing trucks to tradeshows like CES in Las Vegas to demonstrate how they would operate safely. Another aspect that is especially unsettling is that there is no place for a driver or steering wheel inside some of these trucks. Some suggest that they put the driver’s seat and steering wheel back as a safety precaution or local governments should consider building a separate highway lane for autonomous trucks, although that would require substantial infrastructure.
Following Einride, we went to the Ericsson headquarters and walked around the Imagine Studio. Ericsson is a leading provider of 5G network equipment. In essence, Ericsson’s slogan is “Imagine Possible,” encouraging people to imagine the possibilities of limitless connectivity. For instance, John Gamble discussed remote and autonomous driving and how that could be used in industrial settings, such as industrial mines, shipping ports, and factories. It is fascinating to speculate about the possibilities and exciting to hear about the advancement of technology. The “Imagine Possible” slogan is attention-grabbing and inspiring, which makes for very effective marketing. At the same time, we should not forget that their core business revolves around 5G network equipment, such as 5G towers and antennas. All this talk about automated surveillance drones and advancements in extended reality can distract from this.
Both Einride and Ericsson represent the groundbreaking technological innovation in Stockholm, showing how Sweden is leading the world in sustainability and connectivity.
