Swiss Startup LOXO Unveils Autonomous Delivery Vehicle
Switzerland-based startup LOXO has unveiled its autonomous vehicle, designed for last-mile delivery. Developed and produced in Switzerland, the vehicle aims to be on public roads in spring 2023. In addition to Switzerland, LOXO said the vehicle will be aimed for roads in Germany and Great Britain.
The company said the rapid growth of e-commerce and the need of customers to receive goods quickly has posed many challenges. In terms of home deliveries, this includes high costs, a lack of drivers, and poor environmental balance. LOXO said it aims to solve these problems with its new vehicle.
“Thanks to electric propulsion, optimal charging capacity and the autonomous, unmanned driving mode, LOXO increases the efficiency and flexibility of home deliveries,” said Amin Amini, co-founder and CEO of LOXO. “In addition, the carbon footprint is reduced through the principle of shared mobility.”
“LOXO enables scalable, time-independent and high-margin deliveries,” added Lara Amini-Rentsch, co-founder and business lead of the company. “Buyers can decide for themselves when they want to receive their order while paying less. Retailers, in turn, can increase their margins. Accordingly, we are convinced that LOXO will revolutionize e-commerce and become the standard for last-mile delivery.”
The LOXO vehicle is coupled with autonomous delivery as a service. It can be used for deliveries from the supplier to an end consumer or business customer, while also suitable for hub-to-hub transportation. The system includes three components: the vehicle (including maintenance and service), a software package and the “customer success package,” which includes the development of customer-specific use cases, LOXO said.
“LOXO’s USPs include its optimized cargo volume for the European market and its full integration into the customer’s IT,” said Claudio Panizza, chief technology officer and one of the company’s founders. “It is also the world’s first vehicle without rotating sensors. Instead, the LOXO vehicle is equipped with a unique combination of radar, lidar, sonar, camera and powerful algorithms. As a result, it detects people and objects in a 360-degree field of view and guarantees maximum safety.” The company said any sign of danger immediately initiates an emergency stop of the vehicle, and its speed fits in well with city traffic. Every journey is also monitored by trained personnel, the company added.
For more details on the vehicle, visit the LOXO website here.
