DPD UK to commence autonomous robot deliveries in two Milton Keynes neighbourhoods, as part of a trial with AI-powered robotics and last mile delivery company, Cartken. Autonomous robots will each deliver up to 30 parcels a day, in two neighbourhoods
The DPD branded robots, which will operate out of the firm’s Knowlhill depot, will navigate the city’s traffic-free Redway network to access the residential neighbourhoods of Shenley Church End and Shenley Lodge.
Powered by AI technology, the robots are currently ‘learning’ the routes and will then be able to find their way to delivery addresses, fully autonomously. Cartken’s level 4 autonomy and navigation tech is, according to DPD, regarded as one of the safest last mile delivery solutions on the market and is currently being used by automotive tech giant Mitsubishi in Japan, and leading food delivery company GrubHub in the United States.
DPD parcel recipients will be notified of a robot delivery in advance, and once they confirm that they are at home to accept the parcel, the robot will be dispatched.
Customers will be able to track the robot’s progress on a map and will be notified when it reaches their property. They will then use a code to open the secure compartment and access their parcel. Once the compartment is closed, the robot will return to the depot for its next delivery.
If the trial is successful, DPD UK intends to extend the sustainable, autonomous final mile solution across the city, which could enable it to start removing traditional delivery vans from the road network.
The trial is part of series of innovative green initiatives from DPD UK. The firm has already announced plans to have over 3,000 electric vehicles on the road in the UK this year and 5,000 by 2023, when it will be delivering to 30 towns and cities on all-electric vehicles.
Source: DPD
