Asda to trial driverless vans on UK roads in 2022

Supermarket giant Asda will trial driverless vans on UK roads in partnership with Wayve in 2022.

Wayve and Asda will partner with Asda to trial autonomous delivery vans as part of the retailer’s last mile operation.

The trial will begin in early 2022 and Asda will be the first to commercially test the solution, using Wayve’s expertise in deep learning to help navigate complex urban delivery routes in London.

Simon Gregg, Vice President Online Grocery at Asda, said, “We want to explore how autonomous vehicle technology can enhance our operating model as well as the experience for our colleagues and customers. We are pleased to partner with Wayve on this trial. Over the course of the last year, demand for online groceries has grown significantly, and we continue to push new boundaries in terms of retail innovation and technologies that can help us develop the most sustainable last mile solutions for our business.”

The autonomous vans will operate under the supervision of a Wayve Safety Driver throughout the 12-month trial, where Wayve and Asda will use their capabilities to help to integrate autonomy into the online grocery space and learn how the technology can shape the future of last mile delivery.

Alex Kendall, Wayve CEO, added, “Last mile delivery represents an ideal first use case for the Wayve Driver, which can navigate the complexities of urban driving and easily adapt to new routes. We are excited to be working with Asda as our first commercial partner. They have a proven track record of delivering innovations in online grocery shopping that improve customer experiences. This makes them an ideal partner to support the development of autonomous vehicle technology.”

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