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Driverless, with a lot of Swissness and sustainable: Migros, the Swiss startup LOXO, and Schindler are testing an innovative delivery service called “Migronomous”. The self-driving, electric vehicle was developed in Switzerland and is now delivering groceries from the Migros store to the Schindler company campus in Ebikon (LU). This is the first time such an innovative delivery service is in operation on Swiss roads.
(Zurich) The Swiss retailer Migros and the globally active Swiss mobility solutions provider Schindler are testing the self-driving delivery van built by the Swiss startup LOXO as part of a pilot project starting February 8, 2023. Here’s how “Migronomous – powered by LOXO” works: Schindler employees can place an online order with Migros. Employees at the Migros store Mall of Switzerland in Ebikon load the delivery vehicle with the ordered products, which then drives at a maximum speed of 30 km/h to the Schindler company premises located 500 meters away. Upon arrival, Schindler employees can open the compartment with their order using a code and retrieve their groceries.
Pay directly at the vehicle and…
The pilot project is very ambitious. To achieve maximum success, the vehicle will be gradually introduced to its autonomy until it is fully automated in the final phase.
The vehicle operates from Monday to Friday between the Migros store and the Schindler company premises. “We are very interested in linking vertical mobility with innovative, self-driving transport options. Connected transport solutions can make cities more livable and sustainable and make a significant contribution to decarbonization,” explains Christian Studer, Head of New Technologies at Schindler.
Innovative and Emission-Free
The self-driving delivery service is made possible by sensors mounted on the vehicle that continuously scan the environment, pedestrians, traffic, and traffic signals. The vehicle operates emission-free thanks to its electric motor. The LOXO Alpha can transport up to 64 shopping bags. “This holds great potential to reduce private traffic on Swiss roads, as customers no longer need to use their cars for shopping,” says Lara Amini, co-founder of LOXO. The “LOXO Alpha” was completely developed and built by engineers in Switzerland. It is the first fully autonomous delivery vehicle operating on public Swiss roads.
…retrieve the ordered groceries from the vehicle.
Online Orders are Steadily Increasing
At Migros, the growth curve for online orders has been rising for years. Migronomous can play a valuable role in the on-demand delivery sector. “For Migros, it quickly became clear that as the first retailer in Switzerland, we wanted to actively participate in this pioneering project. A self-driving delivery service fits our pioneering spirit,” says Rainer Deutschmann, Head of Safety and Traffic Management. “We can certainly imagine that the self-driving delivery service could be a complement to our existing transport fleet in the future.”
Sustainable Transport for Years
Sustainability in transport has been a priority for Migros for years. The retailer is pursuing a multi-technology strategy for maximum CO2 emissions reduction. This means that an increasing share of various low-CO2 drive types – trucks with electric motors, bio-gas, and hydrogen drives – are being used in road transport.
Photo: © Migros
