DPD has announced that all Viljandi, Estonia, residents who bought a domestic appliance from the Euronics store can order its delivery to their doorstep with Clevon’s self-driving delivery robot – for the first time in Estonia.
This is the first time that the delivery robots created by Clevon (formerly Cleveron Mobility) are used in the retail trade and for the delivery of packages to private individuals. The vehicles resemble a smaller car which takes the goods to the customer while driving on a roadway.
The delivery robot will work for Euronics customers in Viljandi until 23 September, and during that time every customer will be able to order delivery of the goods purchased from the Euronics store within the city limits of Viljandi with a self-driving autonomous robot, which will take the goods to the customer’s doorstep. The service can be used for smaller and medium-sized home electronics, the outer dimensions of the package of which are up to 140x65x85cm and the weight of which does not exceed 100kg – for example, vacuum cleaners, microwave ovens and the like. However, to deliver large household appliances such as washing machines or refrigerators, the customer will need to order a standard transport service. The time required for one delivery is estimated to take about half an hour – 15 minutes to pick up the package and 15 minutes to deliver it to the customer.
Automation of the journey of the goods is one of the long-term goals of Euronics, Estonia’s largest seller of home appliances and electronics.
Retail sales manager of Euronics Kaidi Kelt commented: “The robot warehouse that opened in the spring, in the light of ever-increasing sales volumes has made it possible to save a significant amount of electricity and time, while simultaneously speeding up the order picking and shipping process many times over. While today the first mile in our central warehouse is already covered by robots, with the Viljandi pilot project we are also automating the so-called last mile, i.e. the transport of goods to the end customer, in order to further speed up delivery of goods to customers.”
DPD Estonia hopes that its delivery robots will provide an opportunity to further reduce the environmental footprint and to encourage consumers to choose package transport options that are less burdensome to the environment.
Clevon delivery robots that will be driving on the streets of Viljandi are street legal and 100% electric, traveling up to 100 km on a single charge. Electric autonomous vehicles of the last mile make it possible to reduce the noise and pollution level of the urban environment in a modern and sustainable way, without forcing the customers to abandon the already common comforts of ordering packages and food to their home or office.
All Euronics customers within the city of Viljandi can order a delivery robot on weekdays from 12:30 to 15:30. The last shipment will reach the customer no later than at 16:30. The autonomous robot sends an SMS notification to the customer when the robot starts moving, and when it arrives at the customer’s address. Then it waits for 10 minutes after reaching the customer, following which the customer receives a call. If nobody can be reached, the robot returns to the store, and the package will have to be picked up from there.
Source: DPD
