Self-driving robots are going to take on the last mile in not too long. By 2030, robots will deliver some 400 million orders in Germany, the Fraunhofer Institute expects. In contrast, the deployment of the delivery drone will remain limited, according to the institute.
In the study 'Letzte Meile', the Fraunhofer describes that the large volume of internet orders is causing a turnaround in logistics. Young people in big cities in particular shop online and they would prefer to receive products within an hour, while online shops can offer same-day delivery at most. Logistics processes are not set up to deliver within the hour. This could change by setting up the logistics infrastructure differently, for instance by placing logistics hubs closer to the customer.
Precisely because of the demand for fast delivery, the researchers expect the parcel robot to play a major role. Pizza chain Domino's is currently experimenting with a parcel robot (pictured), where the pizza is kept warm in one of the compartments. The customer can open the compartment with a unique code. Large companies like Amazon and Google are also experimenting with delivery drones, but according to the Fraunhofer Institut, their deployment remains limited. Indeed, when deployed on a large scale, drones can pose a security risk. The report therefore speaks of occasional use.
Editorial LogistiekProfs
