Lidl is using a driverless, autonomous electric truck in Germany for regular store deliveries for the first time. The vehicle, supplied by Swedish company Einride, operates at SAE Level 4 and has received the necessary approval from Germany’s Federal Motor Transport Authority.
Initially, the truck will travel between Lidl’s distribution center in Edermünde and a nearby store. It can carry up to 15 Euro pallets and make up to three trips per day. During the four-month project, it is expected to transport more than 3,000 pallets. Lidl is using the project to test autonomous logistics under real-world conditions. If the trial is successful, the company plans to expand the system to routes with multiple stops. Autonomous solutions are also already being considered for other companies within the Schwarz Group.