Logistics specialist Planzer and start-up Loxo have launched a pilot project that will see an autonomous van drive around the city of Bern for two years between a logistics centre and distribution points. Final delivery will be made by electric bike.
Planzer announces the start of its delivery experiment with an autonomous vehicle in collaboration with the Bernese start-up Loxo. The logistics specialist has equipped a VW commercial vehicle with the Loxo Digital DriverTM navigation tool and two interchangeable containers designed for this purpose.
For two years, the bus named Mathilde will shuttle several times a day in the city of Bern, between the Planzer rail center and 14 strategic distribution points, a network of 67 kilometers with several difficulties, explains the company. Once these distribution points are reached, the containers will be transferred onto electric bicycles driven by real drivers for their final delivery.
If the pilot phase is successful, the two partners plan to create a system of interchangeable content and roll it out in other cities. “With this pilot project, Loxo and we, as innovation partners, want to lay the foundation stone for sustainable, data-driven urban logistics for more efficient and environmentally friendly urban supply chains,” comments Nils Planzer, CEO of Planzer.
With the new automated driving regulation set to come into force in spring 2025, the pilot project is also a way for Loxo to test its Level 4 AI technology on an urban scale. “We are convinced that this collaboration will not only expand Planzer’s business, but also that this technology can establish itself as a new standard for an even more efficient last mile,” says Amin Amini, CEO of Loxo.
Related News :