The Estonian company Cleveron Mobility, which develops unmanned vehicle technologies, and the Estonian branch of DPD (DPD Eesti) will go down in history as the first companies in Europe to deliver parcels to customers using an autonomous, driverless vehicle. The robo-courier, which premiered in Tallinn, can be a good alternative to conventional fuel delivery vans thanks to its flexible payload capacity and ability to travel on public roads.
The autonomous vehicle, manufactured by Cleveron Mobility, was developed as a robotic courier to handle last-mile deliveries in a more efficient, flexible, and environmentally friendly way. According to Arno Kütt, CEO of Cleveron Mobility, robo-couriers can transport goods to several locations, just like conventional delivery vans, with the difference being that they operate without a driver. This creates more efficient delivery options and is a way to reduce rising costs in the parcel delivery sector.
– The e-commerce market continues to grow dynamically. Meeting demand requires an increasing number of transports. With the constant decline in the number of drivers, we see that autonomous solutions are the key to meeting last-mile delivery needs worldwide. Cleveron Mobility definitely wants to be at the global forefront in this field and achieve a market leader position – explained Kütt.
Thanks to autonomous courier robots, cities are much more environmentally friendly, reducing CO2 emissions and noise impact. According to Remo Kirss, CEO of DPD Eesti, sustainable smart urban logistics is one of the foundations of DPD, and the introduction of electric delivery vans is among the solutions the company is successfully implementing.
– We see the introduction of autonomous robotic couriers in parcel delivery as a very important next step among environmentally friendly delivery methods. We are pleased to be the first courier company in Europe to launch a parcel delivery service using an autonomous, driverless courier robot in public urban space. This will allow us to continue introducing innovative solutions and encourage residents and consumers to make environmentally conscious decisions when choosing services and products – said Kirss.
The courier robot travels on public roads within a radius of about 5 kilometers, delivering parcels between various destinations. Its autonomous courier platform can be equipped with various applications and adapted not only for delivering parcels (of various sizes) but also food, or serve as a mobile parcel locker.
Source: DPDGroup, Metaadvisory Estonia.