Page 6 - Commercial Vehicle Engineer - July 2021

POINTS OF VIEW
ARE AUTOMATED DELIVERIES COMING SOON?
Some experts believe automated delivery vehicles might be with us sooner than you think, as Pailton Engineering’s Roger Brereton explains.
I
n the much-loved
US sci-fi animated sitcom Futurama, the protagonist Fry is blasted forward in time to New
companies and governments are trialling drones, robots and autonomous trucking to help meet growing demand.
The rise of e-commerce, coupled
with growing consumer preferences
for same-day or next-day delivery, is
one factor that is driving this interest,
as those in transportation and logistics seek ways to provide cheaper and more efficient deliveries. According to a recent report from UNCTAD, 2020 will come to be seen as a major turning point in the rise of e-commerce, which grew as a percentage of total retail trade from 14% to 17% globally.
Urbanisation problem
Another structural factor that shouldn’t
be overlooked is the importance of urbanisation. Ask any specialist in logistics and they will tell you that the final mile of delivery is the most difficult. According to some estimates, last mile delivery accounts for more than half the cost of delivery. Dense and complex urban environments, which include high rise buildings, limited parking spaces and unusual traffic regulations, add to the difficulties of last mile delivery.
According to UN estimates, the percentage of all people living in urban
Year 2999 where he finds he is still, alas, a humble pizza delivery boy. Recent trends suggest, however, that many deliveries will soon be fulfilled by automated technologies, whether that is automated trucks, drones or robots.
The effort to automate vehicles began with passenger vehicles. Now, there is arguably greater focus on automating deliveries. Around the world, many
6 JULY 2021 > COMMERCIAL VEHICLE ENGINEER