Walmart Launches Autonomous Delivery with Ford & Argo AI

Walmart Launches Autonomous Delivery Service

Walmart is collaborating with Argo AI and Ford to initiate an autonomous vehicle delivery service. This new service will initially operate in Austin, Miami, and Washington, D.C., as announced on Wednesday.

Service Details

Customers will be able to order groceries and other merchandise online through Walmart’s existing platform. Argo AI’s cloud infrastructure will be seamlessly integrated to manage order routing and schedule deliveries directly to customers’ residences.

The initial rollout will be confined to designated areas within each city, with plans for progressive expansion. Comprehensive testing of the service is scheduled to commence later this year.

Previous Collaboration

Walmart and Ford have previously engaged in a limited trial program with Postmates in the fall of 2018. This earlier pilot, centered in Miami-Dade County, utilized simulated self-driving vehicles to assess the user experience related to grocery delivery. However, Argo AI was not a participant in that prior study.

Technology Integration

This current venture will leverage Ford vehicles equipped with Argo AI’s advanced self-driving technology. The objective is to demonstrate the viability of autonomous vehicle delivery services on a larger scale, according to Bryan Salesky, CEO and co-founder of Argo AI.

Ford’s Autonomous Strategy

This announcement highlights Ford’s dual approach to deploying autonomous vehicles. The automaker is pursuing both passenger transportation and potential package delivery applications.

Ford has been actively evaluating the operational aspects of a dedicated fleet of autonomous vehicles in real-world conditions. Their investment in Argo AI dates back to 2016, with the company tasked with developing and rigorously testing the self-driving system.

Strategic Locations

Austin and Miami are emerging as key locations for the initial commercialization of these autonomous technologies.

Lyft Partnership

Earlier this year, Argo AI and Ford revealed plans to deploy a fleet of at least 1,000 self-driving vehicles on Lyft’s ride-hailing network over the next five years. Miami and Austin are prioritized as initial launch cities.

The first Ford self-driving vehicles, powered by Argo AI’s autonomous technology, are anticipated to be accessible through the Lyft app in Miami before the end of the current year.