Hatfield, Hertfordshire, UK: Ocado, which has invested £10m in Oxbotica, a self-driving vehicles company, is to explore the potential for automated deliveries to customers.
Ocado announced in a stock market statement that it will look at the use of Oxbotica’s autonomous vehicle software for operations at its warehouse as well as “last-mile deliveries and kerb-to-kitchen robots”.
The firm said a move towards increased automation could reduce its logistics costs and also make it better able to respond to peak delivery demands.
The first prototypes for the use of automated vehicles are expected “within two years”.
Alex Harvey, chief of advanced technology at Ocado, said: “We are excited about the opportunity to work with Oxbotica to develop a wide range of autonomous solutions that truly have the potential to transform both our and our partners’ CFC (customer fulfilment centres) and service delivery operations, while also giving all end customers the widest range of options and flexibility.”
