In context
In mid-2023, the demand for on-demand, same-day, and next-day delivery was surging, pushing logistics providers to explore autonomous solutions for the last mile. Clevon, an Estonian autonomous delivery vehicle company, had been testing its technology in Europe and was now ready to enter the U.S. market with a commercial deployment.
What was reported
Clevon launched a commercial autonomous delivery service in Northlake, Texas, partnering with PostNet Northlake, a mailbox and package handling provider. The service uses Clevon's Autonomous Robot Carriers (ARCs) to deliver parcels to residents within a few miles of the PostNet office at 100 Plaza Place. Deliveries are scheduled with each resident and operate Monday through Friday, 9am to 5pm.
The service was tested over several weeks before launch. Clevon's ARCs have been on public roads in Europe for over three years with a perfect safety record. The company plans to scale the service with PostNet and expand to other delivery types, such as food and groceries.
Clevon's U.S. headquarters are located at the AllianceTexas Mobility Innovation Zone in Fort Worth, where it continues to commercialize its autonomous technology. The company emphasizes the energy efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and scalability of its driverless carriers.
“When others are folding, Clevon is expanding! We are fulfilling our mission to build an infrastructure for making suburban deliveries affordable, safe, and foremost convenient for consumers.” — Sander Sebastian Agur, CEO, Clevon
Why it mattered
This deployment marked a significant step in bringing autonomous delivery to suburban U.S. communities, demonstrating a viable model for secure, doorstep parcel delivery that could be extended to other goods and services. It also highlighted the importance of local partnerships, such as with PostNet and Lamar National Bank, in building the infrastructure needed for autonomous vehicle operations.
Source: Robotics & Automation News (roboticsandautomationnews.com) · Published 2023-07-21 · “Clevon Commercializes Autonomous Delivery in Northlake, Texas”