A new entrant in the autonomous trucking space is betting a ground-up vehicle redesign — not just software — is the key to unlocking scalable, zero-emission freight.

San Francisco-based Humble has emerged from stealth with a fully autonomous, cabless, battery-electric Class 8 platform it says can move freight directly from dock to dock without human intervention.

The company also announced it has raised $24 million in seed funding, led by Eclipse, with participation from Energy Impact Partners and others.

At the center of the launch is the “Humble Hauler,” a vehicle that eliminates the traditional cab entirely — a move the company says reduces weight and improves payload efficiency compared to conventional tractor-trailers. The platform is designed to operate in controlled and semi-controlled environments such as ports, rail yards, and warehouse facilities, with its first application focused on moving shipping containers.

The cabless design also enables full 360-degree sensor coverage using cameras, radar, and LiDAR, supporting autonomous operation in complex logistics settings. The system is powered by so-called vision-language-action (VLA) models, allowing the vehicle to interpret its surroundings and make decisions in unfamiliar scenarios, according to the company.

CEO Eyal Cohen said the goal is to remove long-standing barriers to fully automated freight movement.

“For the first time, freight can be fully automated all the way to the loading dock,” he said, adding the system is designed to improve safety, efficiency, and sustainability while reducing operating costs.

The company argues its electric powertrain will shield operators from volatile fuel costs while lowering maintenance requirements.

Unlike many autonomous trucking developers that retrofit existing tractors, Humble is taking a clean-sheet approach, integrating hardware, software, and electrification into a single platform. Investors say that full-stack strategy is key to scaling the technology.

“Humble is operating at an unprecedented pace,” said Jiten Behl, a partner at Eclipse. “Autonomous trucking isn’t just a software problem — it requires a full-stack rethink across hardware, AI, and electrification.”

The startup says it built its first prototype in less than six months and is now working with logistics partners to begin testing and pilot deployments. Initial use cases will focus on private or controlled environments, with longer-term plans to expand onto public roads.

Humble’s founding team includes veterans from companies such as Tesla, Waymo, Cruise, Apple, Uber, and Waabi, reflecting the continued cross-pollination of talent across the autonomous vehicle sector.