Walmart, Ford, Postmates Team Up on Automated Vehicle Delivery
The trio of companies will collaborate on a grocery delivery system for Walmart customers.
Nov 16, 2018
BENTONVILLE, Ark. – Walmart, Postmates and Ford Motor have come together to design a grocery delivery service for Walmart customers that will likely eventually come via autonomous vehicles, CNBC/Reuters reports. Ford and Postmates were already collaborating on delivery services that could use self-driving vehicles.
The Walmart test will be done via human-driven vehicles, which will be operated as if self-driven. Ford anticipates starting commercial production of automated cars within three years. The trio of companies are testing automated delivery service and technology in Miami.
The pilot program will deliver Walmart orders via Postmates, with the companies working together to see what goods, including perishables, work best within the delivery system. Some of the challenges include onboard storage systems easy for customers to access and new designs or vehicle equipment.
This is only one example of companies working together on automated and other delivery solutions. Peapod, Subway, Kroger and Chick-fil-A are all working on improving or starting their delivery services. Meanwhile, Uber is experimenting with delivery drones, and Sam’s Club is offering same-day delivery on groceries.
