Michelle Avary, VP Product Strategy & Government Affairs, is a key member of Einride’s executive team in North America setting the company’s strategic direction and product vision. Avary guides the development of key products and services with an eye towards impact on and from government relations. Prior to joining Einride, Michelle was Global Head of Automotive and Autonomous Mobility at the World Economic Forum.

At Einride Mesh, Michelle will be part of a panel together with Hanne Seter, discussing key global insights that the US can use as it builds out its own physical and legal infrastructure around autonomy. The panel will detail the importance of R&D vehicles as drivers of this process and how legislation should foster research instead of hinder it. 

What do you see as one of the most important trends for 2023?

In the US, it is governments moving to address climate change by strengthening emissions requirements and easing the transition to cleaner energy. California is leading the way with 17 states following suit. New York is exploring congestion pricing, and the Biden-Harris administration’s passage of BIL and IRA are instrumental in fighting climate change. These are great trends!

What does "Make intelligent moves" mean to you?

It means to be more thoughtful in all aspects of how we move and choose lower impact modes. Intelligent moves means being safer – paying attention to vulnerable road users, sharing space, giving way, slowing down, being more civil and considerate in all movements.

What are the main regulatory challenges to deploying electric-powered fleets, and how can the industry surpass them?

Some Federal programs like National Electric Energy Initiative (NEVI) provide guidance to states to begin building charging infrastructure for light passenger vehicles and then addressing the needs of heavy duty vehicles. I think we can and should do both. Transportation is the largest contributor to carbon pollution in the US despite representing less than 5% of the vehicles on the road.

We should aggressively and meaningfully incentivize removing diesel trucks and replacing them with electric trucks, and also make it expensive to operate diesel trucks by requiring operators to pay for their emissions directly. Raising the cost to run polluting trucks while reducing the cost to switch to zero emissions trucks is an excellent strategy state and Federal governments can follow.