FedEx Express announced that it is collaborating with Neolix to test an autonomous delivery vehicle in China. This is the first time in its operations in China that FedEx has partnered with a local Chinese technology company to test the use of a driverless vehicle. This is a new attempt to deploy autonomous vehicles in China.
The unmanned delivery vehicle has zero emissions and is all electric meaning it:
Incorporates vehicle self-driving tech with internet and cargo box tech, meaning AI dispatching, monitoring and cloud-based management.
Offers safety features with a maximum cargo capacity of approximately 500 kg and a range of 100 km on a full charge.
Can handle different road conditions and traffic light recognition during the delivery process.
Supports driving in sunny, foggy, light rain, night and other conditions.
The cargo box of the autonomous vehicle can be converted into a temperature-controlled compartment and a parcel locker.
FedEx and Neolix began testing the autonomous vehicle in October 2021 in Beijing. The two companies will test in different scenarios including delivery to a campus, office building and station over different time periods and then will obtain feedback about the customer experience.
The autonomous vehicle will be shown at the China International Import Expo in Shanghai in November.
“Our collaboration with FedEx is not only in line with market development trends, but also an innovative attempt for Neolix to explore the impact on the logistics sector in addition to the retail sector,” said Enyuan Yu, CEO, Neolix. “We hope to support the transformation and development of the logistics industry by utilizing the intelligent advantages of autonomous vehicles.”
FedEx has been exploring new technologies, including automation and robotics in its operations and services in various markets around the world. FedEx has recently worked with the robotics company Nuro, to test and use Nuro’s delivery robot, an autonomous delivery vehicle, in the U.S. In July, Roxo a FedEx same-day autonomous delivery device developed by FedEx in collaboration with DEKA Development Research, landed in Japan. September saw FedEx announce a collaboration with the self-driving startup Aurora and heavy-duty vehicle manufacturer Paccar to test autonomous trucks in the U.S.
Source: FedEx
