Over five days in late November, Einride operations and tech personnel put on an Autonomous Electric Transport (AET) pilot program featuring the Einride autonomous vehicle at a Coca-Cola European Partners facility in Jordbro, Sweden, outside of Stockholm. The pilot is the first step in a partnership started in 2019, with the potential to revolutionize freight for the world’s favorite beverage company.

Einride AET pilot programs are the first step in making the transition to sustainable, autonomous freight, and give both companies the opportunity to see these future solutions in action at real-world facilities with unique characteristics and needs. Over the course of four days, Coca-Cola European Partners personnel witnessed the Einride autonomous vehicle in action, demonstrating a wide range of technological capabilities, including both autonomous and remote operation from an off-site location.

“The potential of these technologies to revolutionize freight has been a topic of much speculation, but seeing the autonomous vehicle in action at our facility makes the future feel like it’s just around the corner. We are pleased with the results of the pilot and looking forward to taking the next step to automate and electrify our transport with Einride,” said Pierre Edrud, Head of Supply Planning Sweden at Coca-Cola European Partners.

Besides getting real-life experience with the Einride autonomous vehicle in a new context, AET pilot programs are important to build awareness among customer personnel, as well as develop safety and operational understanding in new situations. It’s also an opportunity to plan, develop, and implement necessary infrastructure at these sites along with our customers, such as 5G and vehicle charging networks.

“We are the vehicle and technology experts, but our customers are the experts on the intricate details of their transport networks. Pilot programs like at Coca-Cola European Partners are an invaluable way for us to learn more about the implementation of this cutting-edge technology and an exciting way to collaborate with our partners,” said Ellen Kugelberg, Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Einride.

Now that the first pilot has been a success, the next step will be to increase the speed of the Einride autonomous vehicle in testing situations on public roads with Coca-Cola European Partners in 2021, paving the way for potential full-scale operations in the near future.