Following a successful development program, Magna has revealed its last-mile delivery solution for urban environments at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, USA.
Magna’s solution consists of a purpose-built and lightweight electric robot which utilizes the company’s own low-speed autonomous driving system and delivery software. It can travel at speeds of up to 20mph and uses a Magna-developed low-speed autonomous driving system with cameras, radar, lidar and other hardware.
The goal of the project is to reduce last-mile delivery costs and carbon emissions produced by such operations in cities. The company’s new mobility team built the entire full-stack solution and used many of Magna’s own hardware and software products from the automotive industry.
The robot was launched on a pilot basis in March 2022 with a pizza company in Detroit, Michigan, and has since completed hundreds of deliveries to locations in close proximity to the restaurant. Data and consumer feedback will be used by Magna to refine the last-mile delivery service.
“Expanding into the growing world of new mobility is a key part of our ‘Go Forward’ strategy that takes Magna beyond its existing technical strength in automotive and vehicle systems, and into entirely new markets and business models,” said Matteo Del Sorbo, executive vice president, Magna International, and global lead, Magna New Mobility. “The next phase in this pilot program is to apply our learnings to further refine the solution for a broader range of applications and use cases, scale, and unlocking innovative new business models.”