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FedEx Is Testing Package Delivery With Driverless Vehicles (See PHOTOS)
FedEx and robotics company Nuro on Tuesday announced a multi-year agreement to test self-driving vehicles in the package delivery company’s network, starting with a pilot program in Houston. Driverless Vehicles
The partnership comes as parcel companies try to reduce the cost of delivery of the last mile, which rose during the pandemic.
The companies will target the delivery scenarios where Nuro’s low-speed, unmanned vehicle ‘can offer the biggest blow to your money’, Cosimo Leipold, head of Nuro’s partners, told Reuters in an interview.
This is likely to include inefficient tasks, such as laaaang pickups in out-of-the-way places, said Rebecca Yeung, FedEx vice president for advanced technology and innovation.
“Instead of sending a driver to get those packages, a device like Nuro can be very useful,” Yeung said. He calls the FedEx / Nuro bond a ‘very serious long-term commitment’ aimed at reducing headaches, not human drivers.
Nuro vehicles are already delivering deliveries to US supermarket operator Kroger and Domino’s Pizza in the Houston area. Nuro continues to test its technology in Arizona.
Nuro, whose R2 unit has room for delivery cargo, but not a human driver, said last year that it had raised $ 500 million. Driverless Vehicles
In a separate project, FedEx used the smaller robot from DEKA Research & Development Corp, called ‘Roxo’, for same-day deliveries in Plano, Texas.
Competitive United Parcel Service focuses on unmanned delivery efforts on drones.
UPS ordered electric delivery vans from British startup Arrival. These vehicles are equipped with sensors and cameras that should gradually enable autonomous functions, but still require a human driver. Driverless Vehicles
It is more difficult and expensive to transport people with taxis with self-driving than to deliver packages and food. As a result, freight and logistics companies are exploring ways to expand the technology on predictable and simple routes, including on highways.
