Out the Box

NOW THAT'S A GOOD IDEA…SELF DRIVING HOME DELIVERY

Asda trials self-driving van for last mile delivery

The supermarket giant unveils a new partnership that will integrate autonomy into the online grocery space.

WHAT’S THE BIG IDEA?

Asda is partnering with next generation autonomous vehicle start-up Wayve to trial autonomous delivery vans as part of its last mile operation.

AUTONOMOUS DELIVERY?

Imagine a world where self-driving cars take us to work, pick up our children from school, and bring us our groceries. For that vision to happen, self-driving technology must move forward and become more intelligent. It must be able to adapt to new cities, different terrains, and changing conditions. It must adjust to the unpredictable, the unknown and the never

THAT’S A LOT OF MUSTS. IS THE TECH UP TO THE CHALLENGE?

Wayve’s AV2.0 technology takes a pure machine learning approach and can scale and adapt to any driving condition, anywhere in the world.

The trial will begin in early 2022 and Asda will be the first to commercially test the solution, using Wayve’s expertise in deep learning to help navigate complex urban delivery routes in London.

SO ROBOT VANS WILL BE ROAMING THE STREETS?

The autonomous vans will operate supervision of a Wayve Safety Driv out the 12-month trial, where Wayv will use their capabilities to help t autonomy into the online grocery learn how the technology can shap of last mile delivery.

ANYTHING ELSE?

Earlier this month, Wayve appointed former Partner Director of Science at Microsoft, Dr Jamie Shotton, as Chief Scientist, bringing his expertise in machine learning to the company. Shotton has been at the forefront of applied AI research for the past 20 years.

WHAT ARE PEOPLE SAYING?

Simon Gregg, Vice-President Online Grocery at Asda, said: “We want to explore how autonomous vehicle technology can enhance our operating model as well as the experience for our colleagues and customers. We are pleased to partner with Wayve on this trial. Over the course of the last year, demand for online groceries has grown significantly, and we continue to push new boundaries in terms of retail innovation and technologies that can help us develop the most sustainable last mile solutions for our business.” Alex Kendall, Wayve Chief Executive, added: “Last mile delivery represents an ideal first use case for the Wayve Driver, which can navigate the complexities of urban driving and easily adapt to new routes. We are excited to be working with Asda as our first commercial partner. They have a proven track record of delivering innovations in online grocery shopping that improve customer experiences. This makes them an ideal partner to support the development of autonomous vehicle technology.”

HOW DO I FIND OUT MORE?

Drive yourself over to Wayve’s website.