Fernride founder becomes "Logistics Leader of the Year 2024"

Fernride has established an automation solution for the mobility of commercial vehicles on the market that makes it possible to move trucks without a driver. Another decisive factor in the jury's vote was that the approach has the potential to fundamentally improve the value of the driving profession. The company combines autonomous driving technology with human intelligence in a hybrid system known as "human-assisted autonomy". Similar to a control tower in aviation, remote operators monitor several vehicles simultaneously and can also intervene if necessary.

The jury of the Logistics Hall of Fame, consisting of 70 renowned personalities from business, science, politics and the media from 13 nations, explained their decision: "Hendrik Kramer has used his entrepreneurial spirit to create the basis for a safe entry into autonomous, electric driving. His initiative contributes to the energy transition and helps to increase the profit margins of logistics companies, alleviate the global driver shortage and improve the safety of employees in logistics, while supporting the logistics industry in its transformation to future-proof operations and processes," summarizes Anita Würmser,
Executive Jury Chairwoman of the Logistics Hall of Fame.

Already realized: Automation solution for yard and port logistics

To make the concept a reality, Kramer initially launched scalable automation solutions for trucks in yard and port logistics that do not require any changes to the law. The tractor units drive 80 to 90 percent autonomously: a remote operator monitors them. Cameras and sensors on the vehicles record the surroundings and the data is transmitted to the vehicle to carry out the driving tasks autonomously. At the same time, the data is transmitted via the mobile network to the operators, who can support the vehicles remotely.

For legal reasons, the technology is currently only used in closed areas such as logistics centers, factory premises and port areas to transport containers, move swap bodies or transport goods in warehouses. It has proven itself in practice with partners such as Volkswagen, HHLA and DB Schenker, which together operate over 1,000 yard trucks in Europe alone. Over the next five years, Kramer plans to bring Human-Assisted Autonomy to public roads with additional vehicle types. Fernride does not produce the vehicles itself, but works with strategic partners.