Swedish autonomous freight pioneer Einride has opened the door for self-driving logistics vehicles to operate on a major toll road in Texas.

This follows the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with SH130 Concession, which manages and operates the 66km southern section of the SH130 toll road that serves as an alternative to I-35, the main US freight artery connecting Mexico and Canada.

This section of the SH130 connects Austin and San Antonio and could become the preferred corridor for autonomous freight operations in Texas.

The collaboration aims to establish an infrastructure-ready testbed for Einride’s purpose built, cab-less autonomous freight vehicles. It will support the safety validation of autonomous highway operations on segments five and six of the SH130, including integration with adjacent frontage roads to enable seamless first- and last-kilometre connectivity and to optimise vehicle performance and energy efficiency.

“This partnership with SH130 Concession marks an important step forward in proving the scalability and economic benefits of electric and autonomous freight,” said Roozbeh Charli, CEO of Einride. “By establishing this testbed, Einride is further cementing Austin as a hub for our American autonomous freight operations, collaborating with infrastructure operators and regulators to scale safe, performance-based deployments.”

With its freight-capacity-as-a-service business model, Einride combines autonomous and electric trucks, AI optimisation software, and charging infrastructure to deliver reliability and scale. The company operates one of the world’s largest electric heavy-duty fleets, serving customers across the USA, Europe and the Middle East, with autonomous trucks in daily operations with customers in both the USA and in Europe. Einride’s safety framework has undergone independent audit and aligns with internationally recognised safety and cyber-security standards.

Providing a route for fleets to move freight reliably through the fast-growing central Texas region, the southern section of the SH130 continues to offer ample capacity to accommodate future traffic growth.

Einride and SH130 Concession also plan to draft a blueprint for a rest stop to manage electric autonomous trucks, incorporating high-capacity EV charging and docking requirements. The two companies will investigate the technical feasibility of integrating Einride’s AI-powered optimisation software, Saga AI, with SH130 Concession’s digital ecosystem to enhance data sharing, traffic management and operational efficiency.

“We’re proud to partner with Einride to advance our goal to make SH130 the premier smart freight corridor in the state,” said SH130 Concession (www.mysh130.com) CEO Ananth Prasad. “We’re actively working with freight customers, industry partners and Texas DoT to implement new technology and, by aligning digital infrastructure, connectivity readiness and future charging capacity, SH130 Concession is advancing its ambition to establish the roadway as a nationally recognised route for autonomous freight movement.”

Late last year, Einride announced plans to pursue a public listing on the New York Stock Exchange through a proposed business combination with Legato (legatomerger.com/legato-iii), a special-purpose acquisition company.

Founded in 2016, Einride (www.einride.tech) is a technology company that develops and operates digital, electric and autonomous freight options to accelerate the transition to future proofed transportation in a cost-efficient way. Its technology platform includes AI powered planning and optimisation, autonomous technologies, one of the world’s largest electric heavy-duty fleets and charging infrastructure.