Swedish-based technology company Einride teamed up with SH 130 Concession Company to create an autonomous freight testbed on the 41-mile stretch road.
AUSTIN, Texas — High-speed drivers and big rigs are a given on any major highway. On State Highway 130, that reality is especially pronounced, with trucking fleets constantly moving along the stretch known for having the highest speed limit in the nation.
Soon, some of those trucks could be driving themselves.
A 41-mile portion of SH 130, running from Austin to Seguin, is being prepared for autonomous freight operations. The effort is led by Swedish company Einride in partnership with the SH 130 Concession Company, the private operator of the toll road that markets itself as an alternative to Interstate 35.
“This was sort of a natural step for us to find this ability together with the partner, create this sort of test environment and over time operational environment for our autonomous trucks,” said Einride CEO Roozbeh Charli.
Charli said the company has operated driverless trucks in Sweden since 2020 and expanded to the U.S. in 2022. Before full deployment in Central Texas, however, the trucks will undergo extensive testing.
“The end goal of this is running commercial operations,” Charli said. “But the way there is through this sort of extensive work together and testing to get to that point.”
Some residents remain cautious about the technology.
“I feel like it’s a good thing that we’re getting a lot of updates and upgrades since the early 2000s,” said Austin resident Aalyah Johnson. “But I feel like we still need to depend on humans as well.”
Johnson added that safety concerns remain top of mind, especially with reports of autonomous vehicles encountering issues on the road.
“I kind of feel like we do need at least have a driver in it until we get it kind of squared away on if it’s safe or not,” she said.
In a statement, the SH 130 Concession Company said it believes autonomous vehicles will play a significant role in improving efficiency and safety as freight traffic increases across Central Texas:
“The southern section of SH 130 provides a critical route for fleets to move freight reliably through the Central Texas region.
“As we advance toward our goal of establishing the southern section of SH 130 as a nationally recognized route for autonomous freight movement, we see this partnership with Einride as a strategic opportunity to accelerate innovation while still maintaining our strong commitment to safety and reliability.
“The southern section of SH 130 currently operates at roughly one-third of capacity during peak daytime hours. Autonomous freight testing will be conducted during off-peak periods and focus activity in less-traveled segments of the corridor, further minimizing interaction with routine traffic.”
For now, some drivers say they’ll take a cautious approach when the trucks arrive.
“I would get in a different lane,” Johnson said with a laugh.