Udelv Unveils Autonomous Cab-Less Transporter, driven by Mobileye

Udelv, a Silicon Valley venture-backed company, unveiled the first cab-less autonomous electric delivery vehicle for multi-stop delivery at the Consumer Electronics Show

The multi-stop electric delivery vehicle features a proprietary, self-contained, hot swappable modular cargo pod called the uPod.  It can carry up to 2,000 pounds of goods, make up to 80 stops per cycle at highway speeds, cover ranges between 160 and 300 miles per run depending on the battery pack option and be operated by Udelv’s mobile apps to seamlessly schedule, deliver, track and retrieve packages.

“This is a historic day for the transportation and logistics industries,” said Daniel Laury, Udelv CEO and co-founder.  “The Transporter is transformative for two of the world’s largest industries: automotive and logistics. It was created to solve two great challenges of commercial fleets: the shortage of drivers and the electrification of fleets.”

Udelv’s third-generation vehicle is the result of years of experimentation, client testing and hardcore mechanical, electrical and software engineering.  In 2018, Udelv made its debut in California with the first-ever autonomous delivery on public roads.  Since then, Udelv has completed over 20,000 deliveries for multiple merchants in California, Arizona and Texas.   Udelv aims at having 50,000 units of the Transporter, driven by Mobileye, on public roads by 2028, with the first Transporters being commercially deployed in 2023.

Laury highlighted the Transporter’s main characteristics:

• The Transporter features a patented secure, automated, hot-swappable and modular cargo space specifically designed for autonomous delivery, the uPod, with adaptive shelving and an IRIS aperture mechanism.
• The uPod can carry up to 2,000 lbs. of cargo and make up to 80 stops per run.
• The uPod is connected to a proprietary cloud-based software with intelligent loading and unloading, as well as a function to return items.
• It can deliver nearly anything from convenience goods, e-commerce packages and groceries to auto parts, electronics, and medical supplies for B2B and B2C applications.
• The Transporter is driven by the Mobileye Drive™ self-driving system with a robust suite of cameras, LiDARs, radars and the fifth generation of EyeQ®, Mobileye’s System-on-Chip for automotive applications. To rapidly deploy at scale, the Transporter will integrate Mobileye’s AV maps based on Road Experience Management (REM™), a crowdsourced, continuously updated map of the world that digitizes what autonomous vehicles need to navigate.
• The vehicle features Udelv’s 24/7 proprietary ultra-low latency camera-based teleoperation system for remote maneuvers and assistance and Udelv’s proprietary uECU (Electronic Control Unit) acting as the vehicle’s central compute unit to integrate and optimize all functions.
• Battery capacity is between 90 and 160 kWh with a 160-300 mile range.
• DC fast charging will take 45 minutes to add up to 220 miles of range.
• Top speed is 70 mph.
• The fleet of Transporters is operated by a proprietary Fleet Intelligence and Management System for route optimization and fleet planning algorithms.
• The Transporter is designed to maximize delivery efficiency and customer satisfaction while minimizing the total cost of operation.

The company has already garnered more than 1,000 reservations, including from US-based Donlen and Europe-based Planzer and Ziegler Group.  The company was also awarded a prestigious contract from the US Air Force for a pilot program on Edwards Air Force Base in California.

“The Transporters will dramatically improve the efficiency and safety of last- and middle-mile delivery services and make deliveries affordable for everyone and everything from electronics and auto parts to groceries and medical supplies,” added Laury.

Category: AUTONOMOUS, Cab, Trailer & Body, Connected Fleet News, Electric Vehicles, Equipment, Featured, Fleet Tracking, Fuel & Oil, General Update, Green, News, Products, Safety, Vehicles