Walmart to start driverless deliveries with Ford and Argo AI

It’s easy to feel that the autonomous vehicle (AV) industry has settled in the depths of the pain. The hyperbolic buzz around self-driving cars that was all the rage a few years ago has subsided as developers discover that not only do humans drive well – which sets the bar high for their robocars – but humans also drive badly. unique depending on where they are. (People drive badly in Las Vegas differently from the way they drive badly in San Francisco, and so on.)

Our streets may not be crammed with robotaxis as we were promised around 2017, but here and there audiovisual companies are starting commercial deployments. Argo AI, the AV startup heavily backed by Ford, Volkswagen, and others, is one such company. On Wednesday, Argo, Ford and Walmart revealed they would work together to roll out last mile deliveries from the retail giant’s stores in Austin, TX; Miami, Florida; and Washington, DC.

“Our focus on testing and developing autonomous driving technology that works in urban areas where customer demand is high really comes to life with this collaboration,” said Bryan Salesky, Founder and CEO of Argo AI. “By working with Walmart and Ford in three markets, we are showing the potential of large-scale autonomous vehicle delivery services. “

“Argo and Ford are actively preparing for large-scale autonomous vehicle operations in a large footprint of US cities,” said Scott Griffith, CEO of Ford Autonomous Vehicles and Mobility Businesses. “The pairing of Walmart’s leadership in retail and e-commerce with Argo and Ford’s self-driving operations in these multiple cities marks an important step towards scaling up a delivery service from merchandise that will ultimately lead to world-class business efficiency and an exceptional customer experience. “

Argo AI and Ford have been testing their AV systems in Miami and DC since 2018 and began testing them in Austin the following year. The trio say the first stand-alone deliveries to Walmart customers will begin later this year. Around the same time, Ford and Argo will begin deploying passenger-carrying robot axes in Austin and Miami.