DAF and Einride are introducing autonomous driving to electric trucks
DAF Trucks and Einride aim to bring an autonomous electric truck to market together. To achieve this, Einride’s driving system “Einride Driver” will be integrated into DAF’s electric truck platform. The goal is commercial deployment at SAE Level 4, with initial tests starting in 2026.
In the first step, DAF and Einride, together with the Dutch research institute TNO, aim to define and test how the Einride Driver can be integrated into DAF’s electric truck platform. This focuses particularly on the necessary interfaces between the vehicle and the autonomous driving system, which are intended to ensure safe and scalable operation. Initial testing and validation of these interfaces are scheduled for 2026. By 2027, the software is expected to be integrated and the system put into operation, followed by functional and interface testing on a DAF truck. Which model will serve as the test vehicle remains undecided. DAF currently offers a wide range of electric trucks, from the 12-ton XB Electric to the larger XG and XG+ Electric models for long-haul use.
The collaboration is intended to go beyond a single test vehicle. DAF and Einride aim to create the technical and regulatory conditions for the commercial use of autonomous electric trucks at SAE Level 4. At this level of automation, a vehicle can fully take over driving tasks within a defined operating area without the need for a driver to intervene.
Recurring, clearly defined logistics routes are particularly suitable for this purpose. DAF and Einride also point to the driver shortage and rising operating costs in the transportation industry. In the future, drivers could focus more on tasks that require human experience and decision-making skills. However, approval is crucial for later use in public road traffic. Therefore, DAF and Einride intend to work together with the relevant type-approval authorities alongside TNO. The companies have not yet specified a target date for actual driverless regular operation.
Einride’s expansion of its offerings beyond autonomous driving became evident in July when it acquired the U.S.-based charging and energy management specialist Flipturn for $38.4 million. With Flipturn, Einride gains a customer base with over 250 MW of managed charging capacity to add to its portfolio. Together with its optimization platform Saga AI and the Einride Driver, Einride now covers more aspects of electric freight transportation, from fleet management and energy supply to autonomous driving. The partnership with DAF extends this ecosystem by integrating autonomous technology into an established truck manufacturer’s electric platform. Whether a commercial Level 4 service will result depends primarily on successful validation and regulatory conditions.