Einride creates history: Company’s electric autonomous vehicle crosses border and clears customs without a driver

Stockholm-based Einride completes cross-border operation involving its autonomous freight technology in collaboration with Nordic partners.

Stockholm-based Einride, a freight technology company that develops digital, electric and autonomous solutions, announced the completion of a cross-border operation involving a cabless electric autonomous vehicle with no human driver onboard.

The operation took place at the Ørje border crossing between Norway and Sweden. The vehicle crossed the border without a driver, marking the world’s first instance of a cabless electric autonomous vehicle operating across national borders.

Einride tests driverless freight with support from Nordic partners

Cross-border autonomous operations involve regulatory and technical challenges, including variations in road signage and customs procedures. To manage these, Einride integrated its systems with Norway’s Digitoll customs platform through its partner Q-Free. Goods were digitally declared in advance, allowing clearance without driver intervention.

Tolletaten, the Norwegian Customs, supported the initiative as part of its exploration of automation in future operations.

The demonstration featured Einride’s proprietary Autonomous Drive Stack, a purpose-built cabless vehicle, and its Control Tower platform for fleet management.

The border crossing forms part of the EU co-founded MODI project, which is focused on enabling heavy-duty autonomous transport across different market applications and advancing Connected, Cooperative and Automated Mobility (CCAM) solutions in logistics and transport.

Henrik Green, CTO and General Manager for Einride Autonomous Technologies, says, “We are immensely proud to have completed the world’s first cabless, electric, fully autonomous cross-border delivery.”

“We are dedicated to continuously extending our capabilities into new applications, showcasing how autonomous technology can enhance transportation safety, efficiency, and sustainability. The MODI project perfectly embodies this commitment, assisting in the realisation of EU value-based objectives by thoughtfully balancing safety with innovation.”

The operation was a joint effort between Swedish and Norwegian partners, including Statens Vegvesen, Sintef, Q-Free, Trafikverket, and Østfold kommune. It was conducted on behalf of PostNord, which ships nearly 200 million parcels each year across the Nordic region.

May-Kristin S. Willoch, Head of Environment & DPO, PostNord Norway, mentions, “At PostNord, we are committed to exploring innovative solutions that make logistics more sustainable and efficient.”

“Taking part in this historic milestone with Einride demonstrates how autonomous and digital technologies can reshape the future of transport, reduce emissions, and improve safety. This achievement is not just about crossing a border – it’s about entering a new era for the logistics industry.”

Brief about Einride

Founded in 2016 and led by founder Linnea Kornehed, Einride designs, develops and deploys freight technology solutions focused on connected electric and autonomous heavy-duty vehicles, charging infrastructure, and an intelligent freight operating system. 

The company was the first to operate an autonomous electric vehicle on a public road in 2019. Today, Einride runs a fleet of heavy-duty electric trucks serving Global Fortune 500 companies across the US, Europe, and the UAE.