- Cab-less, SAE Level 4 truck with autonomous driving function operates in daily operations under first-of-its-kind permit from Germany's Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA)
- This marks a global milestone for autonomous logistics, and a proof point for how the companies of Schwarz Group bring innovation from vision to daily operations.
EDERMÜNDE, Germany and STOCKHOLM, Sweden, Sept. 15, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Einride AB (Nasdaq: ENRD) ("Einride" or the "Company"), a technology company driving the transition to cost-efficient electric and autonomous freight operations for some of the world's largest shippers, and Lidl in Germany ("Lidl"), a fresh food retailer and a company of Schwarz Group, today announced the deployment of the first cab-less SAE Level 4 autonomous truck in daily operations on a public road in Germany.
The cab-less truck, with no driver or safety operator on board, is now transporting goods between a Lidl warehouse and distribution center and a Lidl store, operating under an official permit from the Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA), the first of its kind granted in Germany.
Germany, the world’s third largest economy and the largest road transport market in Europe, has some of the world's most stringent road safety regulations. Achieving a German Level 4 approval sets a new benchmark for what is already possible in autonomous logistics globally. The permit reflects an extensive safety validation process conducted with the KBA, confirming that the technology can operate reliably and safely under real-world conditions on public roads. For Einride and Lidl it is also a step towards bringing forward-looking technology, once confined to pilots and niche use cases, into the mass market and everyday retail.
"Einride is already running real autonomous deliveries, with real volumes on real schedules with customers in the U.S and Europe. Germany is one of Einride’s key markets, and we’re excited to now bring this technology to public roads in Europe's largest road transport market, and to prove its value together with Lidl and the broader ecosystem of Schwarz Group," said Roozbeh Charli, Chief Executive Officer at Einride. "Germany's approval process is among the toughest in the world, and obtaining clearance there gives us a foundation to scale with confidence."
The truck connects a Lidl warehouse and distribution center directly to a Lidl store. Einride and Lidl in Germany will continue to expand the route toward a full multi-stop milk run model and further deployments with the companies of Schwarz Group are currently being discussed. The initiative is part of a broader effort to address driver shortages, secure continuity in the flow of goods, and strengthen supply chain resiliency across Lidl's network.
"Intelligence creates efficiency, and that is the backbone for permanently reliable product availability," says Thomas Dangelmayer, Head of Operational Logistics at Lidl in Germany. "We ensure that the products for our customers are always at the right place, at the right time, and in the right quality. With this innovative project, we are testing a technological milestone step by step and safely in real-world operations to examine how future-proof solutions can be optimally integrated into our site logistics."
"For the companies of Schwarz Group, innovation is the core driver of operational excellence and sovereign supply chains," said Serhan Yildirim, Head of Schwarz Logistics Solutions at Schwarz Corporate Solutions. "Future-proof logistics is not built by waiting, but through proactive action. With this project, we are combining the scalability of our unique ecosystem with the pioneering spirit of Einride. In doing so, we are actively driving the transformation of the industry."
This milestone was made possible through Einride’s collaboration with Schwarz Corporate Solutions and Schwarz Digits, and Lidl in Germany. It aims to prove that driverless daily operations can create value now, in one of Europe's most demanding logistics markets, and bring high-tech innovation into the heart of everyday retail rather than keeping it on the sidelines.
"Autonomous and zero-emission driving has moved from a future vision to a reality on our roads. Lidl and Einride’s joint initiative showcases the innovative strength of modern logistics and of Germany as a business location, supported by the Mobility Data Space. We are committed to establishing Germany as a pioneer in the testing and deployment of advanced mobility technologies. Projects like this help to align climate action with economic competitiveness and technological sovereignty," said Christian Hirte, Parliamentary State Secretary to the Federal Minister of Transport.
About Einride
Founded in Stockholm in 2016, Einride (Nasdaq: ENRD) is a technology leader driving the transition to sustainable, cost-efficient autonomous and electric freight operations. The Company's platform integrates AI-powered freight intelligence, proprietary autonomous technology, and one of the world's largest electric heavy-duty fleets. Einride serves a global customer base across North America, Europe, and the Middle East through a dual business model encompassing Freight-Capacity-as-a-Service (FCaaS) and a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) platform.
About Lidl in Germany
The food retailer Lidl, as part of the Schwarz Group headquartered in Neckarsulm, is one of the leading corporate groups in the food retail industry in Germany and Europe. Currently, Lidl operates around 12,900 stores in 32 countries worldwide. In Germany, over 100,000 employees across more than 3,250 stores and 39 administrative and distribution centers ensure customer satisfaction. Dynamic daily execution, strong performance-driven results, and mutual fairness characterize the working environment at Lidl. Since 2008, the Lidl online shop has offered non-food products from Lidl's own brands and other brands across various categories and price segments, as well as wines, spirits, travel, and additional services. As a discounter, Lidl places great value on providing its customers with an optimal price-to-performance ratio. Simplicity and process orientation define its day-to-day operations. In doing so, Lidl takes responsibility for society and the environment, concentrating on six core themes in the area of sustainability: protecting the climate, respecting biodiversity, conserving resources, acting fairly, promoting health, and engaging in dialogue.
About Schwarz Group
Schwarz Group is an international leader in the retail industry with some 14,500 stores and 604,000 employees. In the 2025 fiscal year, the companies of Schwarz Group generated a total sales volume of 185.6 billion euros. Their unique ecosystem lets them cover the full value cycle: from production and retail to recycling and digitalization. They create solutions to make peoples' lives safer, healthier and more sustainable, both right now and in the future – they act ahead.
Lidl and Kaufland form the pillars of the food retail market and are an integral part of customers' daily lives in 33 countries. Many of the own-brand products and packaging come directly from Schwarz Produktion. Through its recycling management solutions, the circular economy division PreZero promotes a functional circular economy and is investing in a clean future. The IT and digital division, Schwarz Digits, provides compelling digital products and services that meet the high German data protection standards, thus ensuring the maximum degree of digital sovereignty. As a partner service provider, Schwarz Corporate Solutions assists the companies of Schwarz Group with all matters related to administration, HR, operational activities and everything in between.
Investor & Media Contacts
Christina Zander
Head of Communications, Einride
press@einride.tech, einride@icrinc.com
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/3d2d9598-3b63-45cc-a622-2ab1c2efab0a
