Einride establishes Texas highway testbed for autonomous freight

Einride has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with SH 130 Concession Company to establish the SH 130 toll road, which connects Austin and San Antonio, as a dedicated testbed corridor for autonomous freight operations in Texas. The collaboration will support safety validation of autonomous highway operations on Segments 5 and 6 of the 41-mile route, including integration with adjacent frontage roads for first- and last-mile connectivity.

The testbed is designed for Einride’s cab-less autonomous freight vehicles and will include plans for a next-generation rest stop incorporating high-capacity electric vehicle charging and specialised docking infrastructure. The two parties will also investigate integrating Einride’s Saga AI optimisation software with SH 130 Concession Company’s digital ecosystem to support traffic management and data sharing.

SH 130 serves as an alternative to I-35, the main freight artery connecting Mexico to Canada through Central Texas. Einride currently operates one of the world’s largest electric heavy-duty fleets, serving customers across the US, Europe and the Middle East, with autonomous trucks in daily commercial operation in both regions.

In a statement, Roozbeh Charli, Chief Executive of Einride, said: “By establishing this testbed, Einride is further cementing Austin, Texas as a hub for our American autonomous freight operations, collaborating with infrastructure operators and regulators to scale safe, performance-based deployments.”

Source: Einride