Munich-based startup Fernride recently passed an evaluation conducted by testing and certification company TÜV SÜD for its safety and security concept for autonomous terminal tractors—the first stage on the certification path. The evaluation’s scope and complexity, combined with the technical interpretation of current harmonized standards, represent a significant milestone in validating the company’s innovative concept for autonomous terminal tractors—the first of its kind in the European Union.

“The European Union is renowned for its stringent and comprehensive regulations and standards, making the process of achieving compliance and obtaining necessary certifications highly complex,” said Hendrik Kramer, CEO and Co-Founder of Fernride. “As a result, many autonomous driving companies are hesitant to enter the market.”

Fernride, which offers automation solutions for yard and port logistics, is aiming for safety concept compliance according to the European Machinery Directive with fully CE-certified autonomous terminal tractors. The evaluation by TÜV SÜD marks an essential step in its preparation for autonomous driving tests without a safety driver in the vehicle, with the first driverless tests scheduled to start as early as next month.

“Working with Fernride is very solution-oriented, and the topic of safety is taken very seriously,” said Benedikt Pulver, Head of the Machine Safety Department at TÜV SÜD. “We are regularly provided with new and adapted safety concepts for review. Not only are existing protection concepts skillfully implemented, but new technological approaches are also developed. This combination could make Fernride one of the first manufacturers with a CE-compliant solution for autonomous port applications.”

TÜV SÜD has been conducting regular inspections and assessments for autonomous driving safety standards in the European Union since February. Throughout the Fernride evaluation process, the certification company reviewed the hazard and risk analyses, safety concepts, specifications of the safety functions, and validation plan. It concluded that Fernride’s safety concept is robust and well-founded, while also identifying clear next steps to further enhance the overall safety framework.

“At Fernride we are committed to building safety-by-design,” said Tilmann Ochs, Director for Systems, Safety, and Security at Fernride. “This is a first-of-its-kind process in the European Union, and our priority is to set the highest benchmark in safety & security standards for our product. The comprehensive examination by TÜV SÜD combined with our seasoned engineering teams, who have experience launching safety-critical products, we are well-positioned to achieve this goal.”

In a post on LinkedIn, Kramer put the news into perspective.

“This is our most important achievement so far!” he wrote. “A huge shoutout to the whole team for pioneering this complex and important topic toward the Machinery Directive compliance, and, finally, CE, which is essential for enabling scaling in the EU!”

He added that Fernride is leading the way in setting a benchmark for safety in autonomous trucking.

“Our mission is clear—to make autonomous yard and port logistics both feasible and safe,” he concluded. “Our journey towards the CE is not just about compliance—it’s about raising the bar in autonomous trucking safety for the EU and, ultimately, the world.”

The certification news follows a strategic development partnership announced in October with Jost (cool name) to tackle logistics sector challenges of decarbonization and driver shortages. The partners are bundling their expertise and resources to develop scalable technologies that automate the operation of trucks in closed operating domains such as yards and depots. The long-term goal is to solve the challenges of the industry and improve productivity and safety through highly automated solutions.

“The partnership with Fernride is an important step for us in combining our expertise in safety-relevant vehicle technologies in the truck and trailer sector with innovative autonomous solutions,” explained Michael Fischer, Vice President Product Development at Jost.

Jost is already meeting the current challenges of driver shortage, increased efficiency, and safety in road transport with innovations such as the KKS automatic coupling system and the King Pin Finder and Drawbar Finder assistance systems, which support the coupling process with live camera images. The collaboration with Fernride will help expand its expertise.

Fernride uses an approach called “human-assisted autonomy,” which allows for remote takeovers of autonomous trucks when necessary. This ensures reliable operations for logistics companies, with one operator overseeing several vehicles at the same time. The company’s market-ready solution can be used immediately in existing logistics processes.

“The logistics industry cannot afford disruptions or downtime from new technology integration,” said Kramer. “That is why our gradual integration approach is so effective.”

Its technology has already been successfully used by customers such as Volkswagen, HHLA, and DB Schenker in yard and port logistics, helping to optimize operational processes by enabling more flexible use of drivers and increasing productivity and safety.

In June, Fernride announced its next-generation autonomous vehicle kit designed to endure extreme conditions like sub-zero temperatures, ice and blizzards in Estonia, and the arid climate and sandstorms in the Middle East to better ensure the reliability logistics customers require. The company uses automotive-grade hardware that is easy to assemble for vehicle manufacturers and easy to service for fleet managers.

The Gen 4 autonomy vehicle kit leverages radars, lidars, cameras, and compute platforms from leading Tier One automotive suppliers. The kit is installed and integrated on terminal tractors that are equipped with a drive-by-wire system.