Exclusive: Startup Humble debuts cabless autonomous truck targeting $900 billion U.S. freight industry

After eight months in stealth, we’re unveiling our first autonomous, electric hauler to the world. This critical milestone came breathtakingly fast, and we’re excited to share what it means for freight and logistics.

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Humble was founded with a simple mission: to build the most efficient, affordable, and safe way to move freight. Our founding team comes from some of the most influential companies in the AV industry – in just six months, we have gone from concept to fully operational Class 8 vehicle.

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Reimagining ground freight for the modern world

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Trace a containerized shipment’s route from origin to destination, and you’ll likely find a Class 8 semi truck at the center of it. The trucking industry is one of the most critical and ubiquitous in the world, but it’s also subject to some of the toughest economic and labor constraints.

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We’re rethinking trucking from the ground up with a cabless, electric, and fully autonomous hauler – instead of the tractor + trailer combination that makes up traditional semis, we’ve built a universal platform that can haul multiple cargo types, adapt to complex logistics scenarios, and lower operating costs in an increasingly fragmented and unpredictable supply chain landscape.

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Cabless, driverless, and far lighter than a truck

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The Humble Hauler is unlike anything seen on the market today.

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We’ve removed the entire tractor, or cab, reducing the vehicle’s weight and allowing for more carrying capacity with each load. The hauler’s 360º cameras lets it see and maneuver more adeptly in complicated settings, like a crowded seaport or distribution center. It can carry containers, back in and out of loading docks or other tight spaces, and even be towed just like a traditional trailer.

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Unlike traditional trucks, the Humble Hauler is purpose-built for use cases that require reliable, intelligent reasoning and safe action every time, even in scenarios it’s never experienced. Our autonomy is pushing the envelope on VLAs, [multimodal sensing blah], and highly efficient training and testing that makes it possible to operate without a driver from day one.

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Electric: the cleanest, most cost-efficient way to haul

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When we chose to make the Humble Hauler electric, it wasn’t just about sustainability. Electric powertrains are easier to maintain and protect operators from today’s fluctuating diesel fuel prices. This combination of better cost metrics, greater stability, and zero emissions has been well-received by early customers, as they can realize fast ROI while taking advantage of incentives in their state or region.

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Enabling true dock-to-dock operations

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Humble operates beyond the typical limitations that existing vehicles face – the lack of 360º visibility, rigid OEM specs, and working with vehicles that are only really optimized for a single use case. By building a team from some of the biggest names in autonomous trucking, founder Eyal Cohen has been able to accomplish what has eluded others: true dock-to-dock routes, fully operated by Humble.

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“I have dedicated my career to building electric and autonomous vehicle technology,” said Eyal Cohen, Humble’s founder and CEO. “For the first time, freight can be fully automated all the way to the loading dock. We are making freight sustainable, safe and efficient in a way no one thought was possible.”

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Eclipse, who led our $24 million seed round earlier this year, explains the difference in our approach to a near trillion-dollar freight market: “Rather than tasking the vehicle with transporting goods hundreds of miles across open freeways, Humble is beginning with shorter but more complex (and higher frequency) routes between cargo points. This strategy clearly demonstrates the team’s recognition of where autonomy can deliver value quickly.”

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What’s next for Humble?

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Now that we’ve completed the first prototype, the funding will go toward developing the rest of the Humble fleet, including multiple vehicle configurations for industrial use cases. We’ll also spend on the continued development of our novel autonomous solution, deploy early pilots with partners and customers, and move forward on our early plans for manufacturing and scale.