The futuristic EZ-PRO is Renault’s all electric vehicle presented at this years Hanover auto show.
The concept design unveiled by automaker Renault gives a glimpse at the autonomous delivery vans of the future. The aim of the electric vehicle is to cut inefficiencies and costs of the final stage of delivery, in which packages are taken from the central hub to the door of a customer.
Smart and environmentally friendly execution of delivery
French car manufacturer, Renault, revealed its concept for the future of light commercial vehicles (LCVs) at the Hanover motor show. This fully customisable, automated lightweight van has been designed to overcome the last mile delivery problem faced by online retailers.
The vehicles have been designed in a pod-like fashion to either follow one another in a chain or find their own path independently. The leading pod hosts an individual who supervises the delivery of all goods and services and the fleet following behind the pod.
Within the pod, there is an office-like cab where the leading driver can catch up on any outstanding paperwork. The pods are separated into two areas, one half of the pod designed for the comfort of the driver travelling in the vehicle, while the other is utilised for storing goods and packages. Additional pods chained into the convoy are purely designed for carrying cargo.
When the pods are set to an autonomous mode, the concierge is able to focus on other delivery tasks, such as supervising itinerary planning, completing paperwork for deliveries etc. According to Renault, the driver is also able to ensure effective and premium customer service, such as in-person delivery of groceries or fragile objects.
The all-electric carriage could also serve as a versatile vehicle for customers as well.
Ashwani Gupta, alliance senior vice president, LCV said: “Renault EZ-PRO shows our vision of last-mile delivery integrated with the ecosystem of smart cities of tomorrow and the needs of professionals.”
“This concept is a solution that would unlock countless opportunities for our various partners”.
What makes this service effective?
In terms of the operational technicalities of delivery, the biggest hurdle for such services is what is known as the ‘last mile’. It is defined as the movement of goods from a transportation hub to the final destination of the package – the customers door.
This final part of delivery is often the most inefficient and expensive part of the delivery chain. Vans and service trucks delivering the last mile use up a comparatively large amount of fuel, and employee time.
Moreover, routes and recipients are unpredictable, meaning many last-mile deliveries fail or run late compared to other parts of the chain.
For comparison, delivering goods to a central hub – such as an Amazon warehouse – is usually achieved via a single route, and transports hundreds of packages in one clean swoop. To cut to the costs of the last mile, delivery companies are attempting to introduce new technologies to the step, much of it involving AI.
In the case of Renaults concept design, the electric vehicle provides a safe and efficiently designed area for the driver to work in. Including an easy front access, as well as a comfortable joystick controller and easy to manoeuvre four-wheel drive steering if they need to take over driving.
Other high-tech features include a control screen that monitors traffic, an inbuilt iPad and USB sockets.
The future of efficient delivery
Autonomous delivery drones, self-driving delivery vehicles and even flying warehouses have all been proposed over the past decade.
Renault’s EZ-PRO pods have been designed to automatically plan their routes, accounting for traffic conditions, traffic lights, parking spaces and other factors. Moreover, the pods can also be customised to suit the needs of the company that has purchased them.
Could this be the future of efficient delivery services?
