Clevon chooses T-Mobile to power autonomous robot fleet

What’s the news: Clevon, an Estonian-based global autonomous delivery innovator, has selected T-Mobile as its preferred provider for IoT connectivity and management in the U.S.

Why it matters: The future of autonomous deliveries is here with Clevon's fleet of Autonomous Robot Carriers (ARCs) and T-Mobile IoT will help reduce the time it takes to launch commercial delivery services from months...to days.

Who it’s for: Global businesses considering T-Mobile IoT to connect and manage autonomous carriers, robots and devices ― AND businesses looking for efficient, affordable and environmentally sustainable last-mile delivery services.

Today, Clevon named T-Mobile (NASDAQ: TMUS) as the preferred connectivity provider for its fleet of Autonomous Robot Carriers (ARCs) in the United States. Under the long-term deal, T-Mobile will provide IoT solutions for Clevon’s latest ARC — the all-electric, multifunctional CLEVON 1. Clevon will rely on T-Mobile's award-winning network and IoT solutions to help power reliable, safe and efficient fleet operations for on-demand driverless delivery services.

It might sound like the future, but Clevon has been making driverless deliveries in Europe for years. And now that the company can operate on U.S. public roads ― retailers, grocery stores, logistics providers and more can look forward to loading up a CLEVON 1 with orders and delivering them straight to customers' doors. It’s not magic, but it seems like it! Here's how it works: cameras, radar and other sensors in the CLEVON 1 provide data for rapid mapping and remote operating capabilities. Then, layer in autonomous driving technologies, all connected by T-Mobile IoT and the future is here ― making these services more efficient, affordable and environmentally sustainable than before.

“Today marks a significant milestone for Clevon,” said Sander Sebastian Agur, CEO, Clevon. “By choosing T-Mobile, we are partnering with a best-in-class wireless provider that will enable us to scale our mission to deliver the most reliable, safe and efficient autonomous delivery platform. Together, we can make the promise of autonomous last-mile commercial deliveries in the U.S. a reality today.”

“The last-mile delivery market is expected to grow almost five times to $57 billion in the next six years, so it’s thrilling to work with Clevon, one of the industry’s pioneers,” said Callie Field, President, T-Mobile Business Group. “The significant work we’re doing together demonstrates a shared passion and responsibility for improving lives, safety and the environment.”

The CLEVON 1 is designed to collect orders at warehouses, retail stores, dark stores and micro fulfillment centers and then deliver those goods to consumers and businesses. The CLEVON 1 is so efficient, it can serve up to six destinations in a single trip. Now, with T-Mobile, Clevon will be able to:

• Reduce the time it takes to prepare commercial services, via mapping and routing — from months, to just days

• Increase accuracy for customers when initiating pickups and drop-offs in new communities

• Leverage T-Mobile IoT to support its autonomous driving and remote operations capabilities

In 2020, Clevon became the first company to offer commercial autonomous delivery services and operate ARCs on European public roads. Today’s announcement reinforces Clevon’s continued growth trajectory and business momentum in the U.S. This includes the launch of its North American Center of Excellence in Fort Worth, Texas and its first North American autonomous delivery with the CLEVON 1 at the AllianceTexas Mobility Innovation Zone (MIZ).

To learn more about Clevon’s ARCs, visit: www.clevon.com

For more information about T-Mobile IoT, visit: www.t.-mobile.com/business/solutions/iot

Source: T-Mobile

Goggo network and Oxbotica partner to bring autonomous deliveries to Europe

• Goggo Network plans to introduce Oxbotica’s operating system for autonomy in its fleet of on-road autonomous electric vehicles, across Europe

• As part of the collaboration, Goggo Network will begin by deploying Oxbotica’s autonomous driving software in Spain, across its growing middle-mile operations

Goggo Network, the leader in autonomous vehicles in last and middle-mile logistics, has today announced it is joining forces with Oxbotica, the autonomous vehicle software developer, as part of its vision to drive the future of autonomous mobility and logistics in Europe.

The partnership will introduce Oxbotica’s autonomous driving system into Goggo’s middle and last mile delivery operations in its key industries, including FMCG, shipping, groceries and food delivery. This will be deployed on-road, as part of Goggo’s electric vehicle (EV) network. The vehicles selected will have a maximum payload capacity of up to 1,500kg, which will be important in leading heavy and large cargo of autonomous middle-mile deliveries for retailers and distributors.

The first stage of the collaboration will see Goggo deploying Oxbotica’s autonomy software in Spain, to explore the benefits of Oxbotica’s technology in middle mile delivery in its operations with key partners including the likes of Carrefour, Día and Telepizza. The success of these tests will be a key building block for Goggo to include Oxbotica within its wider mobility network across cities in Europe including those in France.

Oxbotica’s autonomous driving software is capable of driving both on and off road, in various weather conditions, low light and darkness, and able to adapt to any location (e.g. local road or site routes). It uses advanced AI to accurately sense and predict changes to the environment the vehicle is in, whilst learning from previous journeys, which is key to continually improving the safety and efficiency of the technology.

The announcement comes at a time of high fuel costs and a shortage of drivers across Europe, but ever increasing demand for services as online shopping skyrockets. By 2026, across Europe, driver shortage is expected to triple, with the total topping two million. Goggo and Oxbotica’s collaboration will help tackle these challenges and address the urgent need to move goods from A to B safely and efficiently.

“Our partnership with Oxbotica centres around a shared commitment to realising the benefits of autonomous mobility today,” said Yasmine Fage, co-founder and COO at Goggo.“Our collaboration will enable Goggo to provide an unparalleled experience for autonomous middle and last mile deliveries throughout Europe. We were impressed by Oxbotica’s system for autonomy and its outstanding safety standard, and we are excited to see how this collaboration can have a positive impact in the logistics industry, helping some of the critical challenges it faces today.”

“We are thrilled to be working with Goggo to enable businesses in Europe to deploy autonomous vehicle technology sooner for safer and more efficient operations,” said Gavin Jackson, CEO at Oxbotica. “We look forward to deploying our unique autonomy solution into their mobility network. From Goggo benefitting their fleets being driven by Oxbotica to our ground-breaking virtual testing environment and suite of cloud-based management tools – we can help Goggo get the most value from their autonomous fleets.”

Alongside Oxbotica’s self-driving software, Goggo will be tapping into Oxbotica’s fleet management system to safely and effectively operate its fleet of autonomous vehicles, and optimise operational performance.

Goggo will also benefit from Oxbotica MetaDriver – a suite of tools that uses generative AI and machine learning to validate, verify and ensure the safety of autonomous vehicles in a virtual environment. Oxbotica MetaDriver automatically generates a vast bank of scenarios, used to test and refine AV operations and behaviours without ever needing to physically drive in them, which will accelerate the safe deployment of autonomous vehicles in Goggo’s network. Goggo plans to start operating with safety drivers to oversee its entire Autonomous Mobility Network in 2023, and once the respective safety validations have been completed and regulatory clearance obtained, it will make the transition to full autonomy.

Source: Oxbotica

Apple heading to Battersea Power Station

Apple CEO Tim Cook has announced that Apple’s new corporate offices located within the iconic Battersea Power Station in London, England will open early in 2023 representing a “commitment to Apple’s future in the UK.”

Apple announced plans for its new UK headquarters in 2016, originally stating that the enormous 500,000 square feet of office space would create room for up to 3000 employees as part of a plan to merge all of the iPhone maker’s existing offices around the city, bringing employees into one central location which was expected to open in 2021, before the COVID-19 pandemic delayed the handover of the project.

Back when the plans were first announced, Apple confirmed that its European offices would remain in Cork, Ireland, where it employs 4,000 people, with Mayor of London Sadiq Khan saying he was “delighted” that Apple chose London, the capital of the United Kingdom, for the new location in the iconic former power station on the south bank of the River Thames, which marked one of the biggest single office deals signed in London outside the City and Docklands area.

Source: Apple Post