Home Deliveries Without a Driver: Robot Testing on the Road in Europe Begins

Home deliveries are entering a new phase with fully autonomous vehicles. Collect&Go will launch a trial in mid-May in the center of Leuven, Belgium, using driverless electric vehicles to deliver groceries directly to customers' homes. This was announced in a press release.

The project, developed in collaboration with telecommunications operator Telenet, is based on a constant connection between the vehicle and a remote control center. The mobile network, particularly 5G, ensures real-time monitoring and allows for the management of any critical situations during the journey.

The vehicle chosen for the test is Clevon 1, an electric vehicle designed exclusively for deliveries by a startup based in Estonia. It has no steering wheel or pedals and has extremely compact dimensions, measuring 2.50 meters in length and just over a meter in width. These characteristics make it suitable for the narrow roads of urban centers, where last-mile logistics are more complex.

During the trial, which will last three months until August, the vehicle will be able to carry orders for two customers simultaneously. Each delivery will be protected by a personal code needed to open the compartment and retrieve the groceries. Once the round is completed, the vehicle will automatically return to the loading point to be replenished with new orders.

The service will maintain the same cost as traditional deliveries, set at 7 euros, with no changes for users. The goal is to evaluate the efficiency and sustainability of autonomous deliveries, particularly in the final stage of transportation, which is considered one of the most costly and difficult to optimize.

This initiative is part of a broader context of developing autonomous mobility in Europe, with the support of local institutions. The Belgian government aims to promote the adoption of these technologies, both to improve urban logistics and to reduce the environmental impact of transportation.