Fernride, launched in 2019 in Germany, aims to tackle the driver shortage and environmental impact of transportation by introducing autonomous and electric trucking. Their innovative approach allows drivers to remotely control trucks from an office, effectively operating vehicles across great distances, such as from Munich to the U.K. This method separates the driver’s location from the truck’s, enhancing logistic and production efficiency. Fernride has raised $59 million to date and coins Volkswagen and DB Schenker as clients. Founded by Hendrik Kramer, who pivoted from selling dressage horses online to dropping out of his Master’s at the Technical University of Munich, Fernride is pioneering the use of human teleoperators to oversee a fleet of up to ten trucks in geo-fenced locations and private yards, aiming for higher productivity and sustainability.
