Asda launches UK’s largest self-driving grocery home delivery trial
Asda has teamed up with a tech startup Wayve to use self-driving vehicles to deliver groceries to customers.
From today, Asda customers can have their shopping delivered by a self-driving vehicle in the UK’s largest autonomous grocery home shopping delivery trial.
In partnership with Wayve, the year-long trial will give the supermarket the ability to autonomously deliver groceries to a catchment area of over 170,000 residents across 72,000 households in London.
From this week, Wayve self-driving vehicles will join Asda’s existing online delivery arm at the store. Customers will order as normal but could be randomly selected to have their order delivered in a self-driving vehicle.
Over the year-long trial, an Asda worker and a supervising Wayve safety driver will be in each vehicle when making deliveries. The Asda worker will unload the groceries when they arrive at the customer’s home.
Wayve and Asda have been working together for two years to develop this autonomous vehicle system. It means the driving technology is already integrated into Asda’s operations.
Simon Gregg, vice president of eCommerce at Asda, said: “Asda has long understood the value of bringing tech innovation to the online grocery sector and we are always looking at new and innovative partnerships to improve delivery options for customers. We believe autonomous technology is an exciting opportunity to shape the future of delivery, not only at our Park Royal store but throughout our nationwide operation.
