Intel's Mobileye and Udelv to launch 35,000 autonomous delivery vehicles by 2028

Intel's autonomous vehicle subsidiary Mobileye has struck a deal with Udelv to supply its self-driving system -- branded Mobileye Drive -- for thousands of Udelv's next line of autonomous delivery vehicles, dubbed the Transporters.

The companies said they plan to deliver more than 35,000 Transporters integrated with Mobileye Drive by 2028. Commercial operation is slated to begin in 2023.

"Our deal with Udelv is significant for its size, scope, and rapid deployment timeline, demonstrating our ability to deliver Mobileye Drive for commercial use now and in volume," Mobileye president and CEO Amnon Shashua said.

"COVID-19 has accelerated demand for autonomous goods delivery, and we are delighted to partner with Udelv to address this demand in the near term."

When completed, the Transporters will be capable of L4 self-driving, point-to-point operation, able to manoeuvre in parking lots, loading zones, apartment complexes, and private roads, according Intel.

Dolen, a US commercial fleet leasing and management company, has been named as the first to pre-order 1,000 Transporters.

Last year, Mobileye's partnership with Ford was expanded so that the car manufacturing giant would be able to customise Mobileye's vision-sensing technology to improve its existing driver-assist features, such as forward collision warning; vehicle, pedestrian and cyclist detection; and lane centring. 

Elsewhere, Domino's Pizza will be making pizza deliveries in Houston, Texas using a self-driving robot developed by robotics firm Nuro.

Customers who place a prepaid order via Domino's online ordering system on certain days and times from Domino's Woodland Heights store will have the option to select to have their pizza delivered by Nuro's R2 robot.

If they choose to have their pizzas delivered by R2, they will receive a unique PIN once they place their order, which they will then be required to enter on the bot's touchscreen. R2's doors will then open upwards to allow a customer to retrieve their order.

Domino's has been trialling the use of autonomous vehicles for pizza delivery since 2016.

"There is still so much for our brand to learn about the autonomous delivery space. This program will allow us to better understand how customers respond to the deliveries, how they interact with the robot and how it affects store operations," Domino's senior vice president and chief innovation officer Dennis Maloney said.

Meanwhile, the Sri Lankan Police will soon have access to their own aerial drone surveillance capability after being gifted by the Australian Federal Police (AFP) with five aerial drones.

According to the AFP, the drones will be used for activities including, natural disaster scene assessment recovery, transnational crime investigation and to counter maritime people smuggling.

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