Udelv Unveils First Self-Driving Multi-Stop Cargo Vehicle

The first cab-less autonomous cargo vehicle — the Transporter by Udelv — can carry 2,000 pounds of merchandise, make as many as 80 stops, and travel between 160 and 300 miles per run at highway speeds.

Driven by Mobileye, the Transporter is being unveiled for the first time at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), which runs Jan. 5-8 and will be a hybrid event, with over 2,200 vendors expected in-person. Udelv is attending virtually and also released a video offering a first look at the Transporter, according to a press release on Monday (Jan. 3).

The electric vehicle has a “proprietary, self-contained, hot swappable modular cargo pod called the uPod,” has multiple battery pack options, and is operated by Udelv’s mobile apps, which offer scheduling, delivery, tracking and retrieval of packages.

See also: Mobileye, Udelv Partner On Autonomous Vehicles

“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.”

The Transporter is Udelv’s third-generation vehicle and was developed following years of experiments, client testing, and “hardcore mechanical, electrical and software engineering,” according to the release.

Headquartered in Silicon Valley, Udelv rolled out its first autonomous delivery on public roads in 2018 and has since made more than 20,000 deliveries for various retailers in California, Arizona and Texas.

The company is targeting 50,000 Transporters on public roads, driven by Mobileye, by 2028. The first commercial Transporters are on track for deployment next year.

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Donlen, based in the U.S., and Planzer and Ziegler Group, both headquartered in Europe, are among the 1,000 reservations Udelv has for the Transporter. The company also has a contract with the U.S. Air Force to launch a test 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,” Laury said.