Autonomous vehicle developer Waymo this week announced a strategic partnership with the United Parcel Service (UPS), starting with a first-of-its-kind deal for the company's autonomous Waymo Driver to deliver packages on behalf of the national parcel delivery carrier.
Waymo's self-driving Chrysler Pacifica minivans will shuttle packages from UPS stores in the metro Phoenix area to the UPS Tempe hub as part of a pilot that will explore customer and operational benefits and illustrate how the Waymo Driver can deliver on behalf of clients. The pilot will begin this quarter and the Waymo team will work closely with UPS with the goal of jointly developing a long-term plan.
"We’ve built the Waymo Driver so that it can be deployed across a variety of vehicle platforms, as well as business applications that encompass not only transporting people, but also transporting goods," the company said in a blog post. "At Waymo, our mission is to make it safe and easy for people and things to get where they’re going so it’s important that we focus on creating a safer driving experience for all types of vehicles, including those that deliver goods to our homes and businesses each day."
For this pilot, Waymo says its vehicles will drive autonomously with a trained operator on board to monitor transportation operations. The company says it is confident that the strategic partnership with UPS will help to deliver on Waymo's goal to improve customer service and network efficiency, and ultimately, make roads safer.
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SOURCE: Waymo
