Magna, a leading automotive technology company, has partnered with Cartken to develop an autonomous vehicle aimed at revolutionizing last-mile delivery in urban environments. Showcased at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Michigan, this new delivery robot signifies Magna's strategic expansion into mobility solutions that leverage automotive electrification and autonomous technology.
The vehicle is designed as a lightweight, electric robot equipped with a Magna-developed low-speed autonomous driving system, and boasts fully integrated delivery software. With the primary aim of reducing last-mile delivery costs and minimizing urban carbon emissions, the Magna mobility team constructed a full-stack solution utilizing state-of-the-art hardware and software derived from their extensive automotive expertise.
The delivery robot has already been introduced on a pilot basis with a pizza restaurant in the Detroit area since March 2022. During this pilot, the robot successfully delivered hundreds of pizzas to both residential and commercial customers. This trial has been instrumental in offering valuable data and consumer feedback, vital for refining the service further.
Magna’s robot distinguishes itself with the ability to travel at speeds of up to 20 mph on public roads, employing an array of technologies such as cameras, radar, and LIDAR for navigation and operation. The autonomous delivery vehicle is part of Magna’s broader 'Go Forward' strategy, which aims to take the company beyond its foundational strengths in automotive and vehicular systems towards new mobility markets and business innovations.
Matteo Del Sorbo, Executive Vice President and Global Lead for Magna’s new mobility business unit, emphasized the significance of this development. Del Sorbo commented, "Expanding into the growing world of new mobility is a key part of our ‘Go Forward’ strategy that takes Magna beyond its existing technical strength in automotive and vehicle systems, and into entirely new markets and business models.” He noted the next phase of this program focuses on expanding the system's applicability to new use cases and scaling operations to unlock innovative business models.
This autonomous vehicle initiative follows two other strategic mobility announcements by Magna. The company recently embarked on an expansion into the micromobility market by investing in Yulu, India's largest electrified shared mobility provider. This investment is part of a broader strategy to accelerate the electrification of India's two-wheeler fleet by developing battery-swapping infrastructure.
Furthermore, Magna has initiated a collaboration with Cartken, a company specializing in autonomous sidewalk delivery and materials handling robots, to explore a robot-as-a-service model bolstered by contract manufacturing. This collaborative effort with Cartken aims to integrate their platform across various applications.
Del Sorbo highlighted Magna's ability to design, engineer, and scale products to high volumes as a core competitive advantage, asserting, “Our expertise lies in the ability to design, engineer and scale at higher volumes. Additionally, we want to explore opportunities to generate additional revenue streams.”
Magna's moves to diversify its offerings with mobility as a service, rather than solely as a point-of-sale product, position the company to tap into emerging markets and technologies poised to transform urban logistics. This latest venture into autonomous vehicle development reflects a strategic intention to redefine logistical efficiency, reduce operational costs, and promote sustainable urban living.
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