zzdcar
Home
/
Reviews
/
Beyond Cars
/
'Remote Pod Operator' Would Solve One Of The Biggest Problems With Autonomous Last Mile Deliveries
'Remote Pod Operator' Would Solve One Of The Biggest Problems With Autonomous Last Mile Deliveries-March 2024
2024-02-19 EST 22:13:54

Image for article titled 'Remote Pod Operator' Would Solve One Of The Biggest Problems With Autonomous Last Mile Deliveries

A Swedish freight technology company revealed a new job title at SXSW on Monday which may help answer the interminable problem of getting packages to customers’ front door.

The last-mile of delivery is the most costly and time consuming portion of any package’s journey through global shipping. With more customers expecting free shipping, companies and logistics companies are desperate to cut down on those costs. Autonomous vehicles might be the answer to cutting costs and time, if only we could get them to think like a human when encountering problems. has an autonomous pod that can mostly bumble around the streets on its own, but like all autonomous vehicle in existence today, it needs occasional help.

Enter the “Remote Pod Operator,” the first of which is trucking veteran Tiffany Heathcott. It’s the operators’ job to monitor the self-driving delivery pods and do their best to help them out of any jams or scraps they may come up against. Since the pods are mostly autonomous, one operator can monitor several vehicles at once. This cuts down on traffic as well as truck emissions as the pods are entirely electric. All operators will be required to have active CDL license B class as well as commercial driving experience.

This is particularly a big deal, as a gig as a Remote Pod Operator would solve a lot of the problems of being a trucker; long hours away from home in a stressful, body wrecking environment. As a Remote Pod Operator, truckers could put in a normal eight hours and go home to their families like anyone else. They could stand up and stretch, like any old officer worker.

“Once other truck drivers are able to see what the remote approach to shipping can do for them, both on a professional and personal level, I’m confident that more and more will want to take part in creating lasting change,” Tiffany Heathcott said in a .

The company says the team of pod operators has grown since Heathcott was hired, but it doesn’t say how many people are piloting pods. It is getting a foothold in the U.S., with a regional office in Austin and plans to have a headquarters in New York. So maybe you might see one humming along a city street near you someday. Either way, I think Einride is on to something. Reintroducing the human element into self-driving technology might just be the safest and smartest way to bridge the gap between now and a potentially fully autonomous future.

Comments
Welcome to zzdcar comments! Please keep conversations courteous and on-topic. To fosterproductive and respectful conversations, you may see comments from our Community Managers.
Sign up to post
Sort by
Show More Comments
Beyond Cars
This Little Piece Fixes My Biggest Complaint About The 2020 Honda CB650R
This Little Piece Fixes My Biggest Complaint About The 2020 Honda CB650R
You may recall that a couple of weeks ago I expressed some disappointment with an annoying wind whistle I experienced while riding the CB650R. There is a little airflow issue at the front of the bike, and any time I went over 45 miles per hour, I could hear...
Mar 10, 2026
This Electric Superbike Is A Generator You Can Ride
This Electric Superbike Is A Generator You Can Ride
Following its official unveil at CES earlier this year, the Damon Hypersport electric motorcycle has been dancing its way through my dreams. In addition to offering crazy electric performance, it has adjustable foot pegs to allow a shift from upright commuter to full tuck sport with the push of...
Mar 10, 2026
Of Course, I'm Not Sold On Great Britain's Newly Repainted State Plane
Of Course, I'm Not Sold On Great Britain's Newly Repainted State Plane
I have about the liveries of state aircraft. It’s kind of my thing. So when the Royal Air Force unveiled its newly repainted Airbus A330MRTT Voyager head of state transport this week, I had to give it a closer look. I did, and I’m not particularly impressed. For some...
Mar 10, 2026
Ship Knocks Containers Into River As It Sails Into Giant Red Bridge You Can't Miss
Ship Knocks Containers Into River As It Sails Into Giant Red Bridge You Can't Miss
The Willemsbrug, a bridge in the Dutch city of Rotterdam, was painted bright red when it was completed back in 1981. While it helps it stand out against the beautiful northern blue sky, it would also hopefully act as a literal red flag for ships to avoid, too, but a...
Mar 10, 2026
BMW Is Bringing Adaptive Cruise Control To Motorcycles
BMW Is Bringing Adaptive Cruise Control To Motorcycles
BMW riders like to believe themselves as the hardest core long-distance two-wheelers in the universe. Not satisfied to burn a tank of dino juice on a Saturday afternoon, they will jump into the saddle in the Pacific Northwest and set their sights on Miami, or so they say. BMW...
Mar 10, 2026
NASA Wants Your Help To Design A New Moon-Shitter
NASA Wants Your Help To Design A New Moon-Shitter
If you’re like most Americans, you have a lot of interest and pride in the space program, but you feel a continual sense of resentment that you haven’t been consulted on matters relating to how astronauts relieve themselves of bodily wastes. , but for those of you who wish...
Mar 10, 2026
Copyright 2023-2026 - www.zzdcar.com All Rights Reserved