Einride and DAF Trucks have announced a new partnership, that will see the two companies work towards Level 4 autonomy for electric trucks. Within the agreement, Einride will integrate its autonomous driving technology into DAF’s electric truck range, along with assistance from Dutch research institute TNO. The pair will work towards eventually deploying the technology on public roads, bringing the possibility of commercially viable autonomous freight vehicles closer to reality.
DAF and Einride target Level 4 autonomy for electric trucks
The partnership will integrate Einride Driver, the company’s autonomous driving system, into DAF’s electric trucks. So-called ‘Level 4’ automation allows a vehicle to independently carry out repetitive driving tasks under predefined conditions without human intervention, freeing up available human drivers to focus on higher-value logistics work.
As a first step, Einride and DAF will work with TNO, the Dutch research institute for applied science and innovation, to define and test the integration of Einride’s autonomous drive system within DAF’s range of XD and XF electric trucks. With TNO’s support, the companies are also engaging with type approval programmes to ensure the platform meets the legal requirements to eventually be deployed on the public road.
Initial testing and validation of key autonomy interfaces is due to take place throughout the rest of this year, while the integration of Einride’s autonomous driving software into the trucks will follow in 2027.
The initiative builds on automated driving work already carried out by DAF’s parent company PACCAR, including experience gained through the North American Autonomous Vehicle Platform programme. Insights from North America will be used to help accelerate autonomy development within this DAF and Einride collaboration.
Jeroen van den Oetelaar, Chief Engineer at DAF Trucks, commented:
“This collaboration is a testament to DAF’s commitment to innovation and future-proofing the logistics sector. By combining our premium truck platform with leading autonomous technology, we are actively shaping a more efficient, safer, and sustainable freight ecosystem.”
Henrik Green, Chief Technology Officer at Einride, added:
“By leveraging DAF’s decades of manufacturing excellence and market strength, we can expedite the global scale-up of Einride’s autonomous technology. This collaboration validates our vehicle-agnostic approach to autonomy and brings us one step closer to deploying safe, scalable Level 4 autonomy at commercial scale.”
