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Parallel’s tech fits on existing freight cars.Image Credits:Parallel Systems
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The business of moving goods in the United States is dominated by trucks , which treat about two - third base of the20.2 billion tons of freightthat ’s transported every year . Parallel Systemsfounder and CEO , Matt Soule , wants to change that by put a mod autonomous and electric winding on the C - old railway system scheme .
The Los Angeles - based party is build up battery - powered self-directed freight engineering that works with be freight railroad car and integrates with be train control software package . Soule ’s slant : Parallel ’s organization make it less expensive for company to utilise rail — not trucks — for short - distance deliveries .
runway has been traditionally underutilized because trains are typically power by large and expensive locomotives that draw C of freight cars at a time over long distances , Soule explained to TechCrunch . business often turn to trucks for moving freight shortsighted distances .
Parallel Systems explicate a system that allows gearing cars to attach and come away autonomously . This mean companies can use Parallel ’s technical school for a variety of unlike delivery sizes and human do n’t have to manually join and unplug the cars — a life-threatening outgrowth . Parallel ’s tech also allows freightage car to brake importantly quicker than existing train , Soule sum up .
“ We ’re using a different physical computer architecture to reach truck competitory economics at small scale rather than big scale of measurement , ” Soule said . “ The vehicle itself is compatible with subsist rail substructure . It is design and being demonstrated to operate alongside traditional rail procedure . We ’re not propose to supervene upon existing freight trains with this . ”
Parallel recently was approved by the Federal Railroad Administration to start piloting the tech in Georgia . This program will allow the ship’s company to try its tech - enable trains along a 160 - mile stretch between the Port of Savannah in Savannah , Georgia , and multiple statistical distribution site in the res publica .
Parallel also recently upgrade a $ 38 million Series B round of drinks led by Anthos Capital with participation from Collaborative Fund , Congruent Ventures , and Riot Ventures , among others . This lend Parallel ’s full support to more than $ 100 million . The fresh capital will be put toward commercialization with the ship’s company hop to host its initial commercial launch in 2026 .
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Sophie Bakalar , a married person at Collaborative Fund , told TechCrunch that while Parallel does n’t neatly fit into its consumer - lean generalist dissertation , the business firm was connive by the company after getting introduced through an exist founder in their portfolio .
While Collaborative Fund does n’t typically induct in this area , shipping and the trend of goods does have a big impact on the consumer companies Collab is usually backing , said Bakalar , adding that it ’s hard to pass up a estimable chance — even if it is off - dissertation .
“ I guess this team is really unambiguously positioned to solve this job , ” Bakalar said . “ Just not many tribe are going to be able to do it . I think it is a team that has a beginner - product fit . It is a monumental marketplace and a massive challenge . ”
Soule does n’t have a setting in rails , specifically . However , he does have a history of working in regulated transportation . He spend 20 years in aerospace , 13 of which were at SpaceX.
“ We were incessantly developing new technology , ” Soule said . “ I worked in avionics , which is electronics and software that controls the rocket and get incredibly peculiar about how all these engineering science could benefit other case of industries that have maybe not seen as much founding . ”
He launched the ship’s company in 2020 and now , five yr after , Parallel has work up out the technology and is focused on commercialization .
While get company to exchange their shipping and distribution strategies could be a large exploit , requirement for different solutions is there , Soule articulate . He added that they have had interest from across the globe but design to focus on the U.S. and Australia for now .
This news also come as the U.S. hangs intariff limbo . If tariff do end up go away through , Bakalar predicts it could stir up more need for companies like Parallel as companies will likely be looking to cut down costs in any direction .
“ This is like a generational innovation in terms of freight and you do n’t see a circle of change in the freightage industry , ” Soule said . “ But this is hitting on points that affair . ”
