by Walther Ploos van Amstel
DHL, together with Chinese autonomous-vehicle startup Zelostech, has put fully electric, driverless vehicles into operation to move goods between hubs, sorting centers and warehouses. At its Advanced Regional Center (ARC) in Singapore, this marks the first DHL site globally where such a vehicle has moved from innovation trial to daily operational use. The focus isn’t …
Which frontier technologies matter most for companies in 2025? McKinsey’s annual tech trends report highlights the latest technology breakthroughs, talent trends, and use cases, as well as their potential impact on companies across various sectors, such as mobility. The mobility landscape is undergoing rapid transformation, shaped by technological innovation, sustainability demands, and evolving urban dynamics. …
As part of the EU-funded URBANE project, a demonstration was done on March 6, 2025, at the Phillipp-Reis-Straße tram stop in Karlsruhe. The research initiative explored innovative approaches for sustainable and efficient parcel delivery, specifically by integrating tram services with an autonomous delivery robot. URBANE stands for Upscaling Innovative Green Urban Logistics Solutions Through Multi-Actor …
Recent research aims to compare autonomous ground vehicles with conventional and electric vans based on associated vehicle costs and benefits related to their use, considering economic feasibility. Cost per vehicle kilometer is derived using the total cost of ownership method adjusted with the inclusion of labor costs and the impact of solar panel application on …
After six years of research by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Amsterdam Institute for Advanced Metropolitan Solutions (AMS Institute), Roboat has officially launched independently. The project, which focused on developing autonomous navigation technology for boats for urban and inland waterways, has now transitioned into a spin-off company that will scale up the technology …
Automation represents the next big buzz in transport and promises many benefits for society, including more efficient use of space, energy, and time and reduced costs. Accordingly, an impressive range of autonomous vehicles has been introduced, covering personal and goods transport applications. In particular, in response to the global pandemic linked to COVID-19, autonomous vehicles …
Unlike autonomous car applications, the operational area of urban service autonomous robots like autonomous delivery robots (ADRs) is not clearly defined. Moreover, assessing the feasibility of various operating scenarios is difficult due to large variations in the different robot designs, specific local infrastructure, and regulations. A new paper presents a prototype evaluation methodology based on …
Do autonomous delivery robots deliver? Road autonomous mobile robots have attracted the attention of delivery companies and policy makers owing to their potential to reduce costs and increase urban freight efficiency. Established delivery companies and new startups are investing in technologies that reduce delivery times, increase delivery drivers’ productivity, or both. In this context, adopting …
THEO is a semi-autonomous, emission-free, bot-as-a-service trike optimized for bike lanes, maximizing functionality and safety. When bike lanes are unavailable, they are also swift, lightweight, and agile enough to run in conventional car lanes and travel around in a city without causing congestion. THEO will seamlessly integrate with the backend of on-demand delivery providers, such …
A survey article by Mor Kaspi, Tal Raviv, and Marlin W. Ulmer provides an overview of future directions for research in urban mobility and city logistics. It sets a focus on three severe changes in the business models: Service fleets might fully or partially be autonomous in the future, which brings new operational opportunities and …