Acting Ahead on the Road: Autonomous Store Delivery in Real-World Operations
This is how Lidl in Germany, together with the Swedish tech startup Einride, is testing autonomous store deliveries on public roads and gaining insights for the logistics of the companies of Schwarz Group.
Full shelves are not something to be taken for granted. To ensure that goods arrive reliably in the stores, logistics must function every day, even when underlying conditions change.
The companies of Schwarz Group do not wait for ready-made solutions. They test new technologies right where they need to perform: in a real-world operating environment.
A pilot project on public roads
In September 2026, a pilot project by the companies of Schwarz Group was launched in Edermünde near Kassel, Germany. Lidl in Germany, together with the Swedish tech startup Einride, is testing a fully electric truck with SAE Level 4 automation on public roads.
This makes Lidl the first food retailer to use a cabless electric truck with autonomous driving capability for store deliveries in real-world operations on public roads in Germany. The key difference compared to a mere technology demonstration: The truck is not driving on a closed test track, but rather within a defined operating area under real-world conditions on public roads.
Therefore, the focus of the project extends beyond the vehicle itself to include the processes at the participating locations, the delivery to the store as well as upstream and downstream tasks. Collaboration with the respective specialists is also part of the pilot project. We, the companies of Schwarz Group, test intensively, analyze opportunities and challenges, and examine step by step how future-proof solutions can be optimally integrated into our overall systems.
The pilot project at a glance
- Location: Edermünde, Germany
- Initiator: Schwarz Corporate Solutions, Schwarz Digits
- Operational implementation: Lidl in Germany
- Pilot partner: Einride, Swedish tech startup
- Vehicle: Fully electric truck with autonomous driving capability according to SAE Level 4
- Deployment: Store deliveries on public roads in real-world operations
- Speed in pilot operations: Maximum 25 km/h
- Pilot phases: First phase to start in September 2026; second phase planned from 2027 onwards
What does SAE Level 4 automation mean?
The SAE classification describes six levels of automation, from Level 0 to Level 5. With SAE Level 4 automation, the automated driving system takes over the entire driving task within a fixed operating area and under defined conditions.
Conversely, this means that SAE Level 4 automated vehicles are not designed for unrestricted autonomous operation across all locations and circumstances. The decisive factor is the specific area of application for which the system is designed and approved.
In pilot operations, a “Local Operator” escorts the truck in a separate vehicle. In the first phase, they also take over the loading and unloading of goods.
Why autonomous store delivery?
For the companies of Schwarz Group, trucks with autonomous driving capability are not an end in themselves and not the sole answer to the challenges of logistics. They can be an important building block for the transformation of the industry.
Making goods flows more resilient
A robust logistics system is the foundation for a reliable supply of goods. Highly automated transport routes can help to stabilize the flow of goods, increase operational efficiency and reduce dependency on external factors.
Addressing the skilled worker shortage
The shortage of skilled workers in logistics is already noticeable today. By using automated systems, we, the companies of Schwarz Group, are future-proofing logistics roles, making routine tasks easier for drivers and creating capacity for more complex activities. Yet, humans remain firmly in control. Technology provides support where it can be used effectively and contributes to the further development of tasks and roles in logistics.
Combining autonomy and electrification
The deployed truck, equipped with SAE Level 4 automation, is fully electric. As a result, it produces zero direct tailpipe emissions while on the road. In logistics, autonomy and electrification go hand in hand: The pilot project explores how autonomous driving and an electric drive work together in a real-world transport process and what efficiency potentials may arise.
Whether and under what conditions these potentials can be realized in actual operations is systematically investigated in the pilot project. Therefore, the question is not just whether a truck can drive autonomously. The question is how the technology can be integrated into the entire supply chain and what prerequisites must be met at the participating locations.
An ecosystem for complex changes
Complex transformation cannot be achieved alone. The strength of the companies of Schwarz Group lies in the interplay of their business areas and skills. The group’s scaling power and operational experience are meeting the innovation drive of a strong tech startup.
In the pilot project, Lidl in Germany contributes the requirements of its store operations. Einride provides the technology and experience in autonomous transport solutions. The project, initiated by Schwarz Corporate Solutions and Schwarz Digits, demonstrates how the companies of Schwarz Group effectively utilize synergies. This cross-divisional collaboration combines the requirements of daily operations with technological foresight. It creates the opportunity not only to test new approaches on a technical level, but also to evaluate them along the entire process chain.
The collaboration with Einride exemplifies a core principle of the companies of Schwarz Group: Together with our partners, we actively seek future-proof solutions, test them under real-world conditions and examine how they can be integrated into our overall systems.
This is acting ahead rather than just thinking ahead.
