LastMile
LastMile and Clevon Deliver IKI Supermarkets' Groceries with Fleet of Delivery Robots
Overview
In 2022, Lithuania saw the launch of a unique service, where Clevon’s delivery robots began home deliveries of goods from IKI stores. This service, operated by the last-mile transportation platform LastMile, represents a significant stride in the integration of driverless delivery within the retail sector. The three-way collaboration between Clevon, IKI, and LastMile was first launched in Vilnius, setting a new standard in delivery services. IKI and LastMile are part of the extensive REWE Group family.
You can also download the PDF version of this case study
The Challenge
Efficiency, driver shortages, and eco-friendly delivery were at the heart of Lithuania’s need for an advanced logistics solution. The initiative also aimed to tackle the challenges of noise pollution and carbon emissions, integral to creating sustainable urban environments.
A crucial part of the project’s challenge was navigating the regulatory and practical aspects of bringing driverless delivery robots onto Lithuanian public roads. With the active support and collaboration of the Ministry of Transport and Communications, the project was able to overcome these hurdles, paving the way for a successful implementation.
The Solution
To address these challenges, Clevon’s delivery robots were introduced into the daily rhythm of the busy city life. The project unfolded in two phases, focusing on effectively integrating these robots into Lithuania’s urban delivery system.
Phase 1 – Proof of Concept. Running from September to December 2022, this phase focused on testing the core functionalities of CLEVON 1 in Vilnius’ urban settings. This phase was critical for demonstrating the practicality of unmanned delivery robots in a real-world environment. The all-electric zero-emission delivery solution navigated the suburban areas easily, helping to reduce emissions and noise pollution in the area.
Phase 2 – Fleet Service Piloting. Spanning from June to September 2023, this phase aimed to test a full-service fleet across a broader downtown area, including the old town’s narrow streets and pedestrian areas. It was designed to validate the robots’ performance in delivering a variety of order sizes, managing the fleet’s operations efficiently, and testing remote operation capabilities from another country. The success of this phase was crucial for moving towards mass implementation and identifying viable business models.
System Integration
The project combined LastMile’s Planner with Clevon’s Vehicle Management System. This integration facilitated real-time updates on orders and delivery logistics, allowing for efficient route planning. The main functionalities of the API Gateway embraced the exchange of dynamic information about robots’ availability, order sizes, customers’ locations, PIN-codes for the MultiBox, and much more. Despite early system hiccups, including days with missed orders, the potential for a robust e-store integration was seen.
The robots were operated from Estonia, showcasing the ability to operate and monitor the fleet remotely across borders. From the technical point of view, this setup was proven fully functional and safe – no issues occurred in relation to the physical distance of the network. This added an impressive layer of flexibility and demonstrated the scalability of robotic delivery operations.
During the pilot more than 500 deliveries were fulfilled, with a peak of 18 orders in a single day. The trend of orders steadily increased, although they did not meet the initial projections. Some system issues temporarily affected order processing, and while these were quickly resolved, the impact on overall order fulfillment is unknown.
The Results
Throughout the project, LastMile’s adoption of Clevon’s delivery robots has not only yielded significant achievements but also garnered widespread attention.
Achievements
Vilnius became the first city in Europe to launch a fleet of driverless delivery robots on its public roads. Following this achievement, both Clevon and LastMile received recognition for leading the way in delivery innovation.
LastMile was awarded “Innovation of the Year” at the Green Mobility Awards.
Clevon won the “Transport Innovation of the Year” award at the Parcel & Postal Technology International Awards 2023.
Key Learnings
Customer adoption grew gradually, indicating an initial period of familiarization with robot deliveries.
While clients liked the robot courier experience, they’re adjusting to picking up deliveries from the robot instead of direct handovers.
End-Customer Feedback
A telephone survey conducted by the LastMile customer support team revealed a high level of customer satisfaction with the innovative service. The survey results were overwhelmingly positive, with more than 95% of respondents finding the robot courier both intuitive and comfortable to use. Customers praised the service’s clarity and ease of use, appreciating the fresh approach to delivery.
While the feedback was largely favorable, some customers mentioned the handover location as an area for improvement, preferring a more personalized delivery approach. However, there was unanimous satisfaction with the freshness and condition of the delivered items.
The likelihood of recommending the robot courier service was also high, achieving a Net Promoter Score (NPS) of 70.8%. It’s another clear testament to the strong acceptance and positive reception among the users. However, based on previous NPS scores that Clevon has achieved, the ambitions remain even higher.
*Net Promoter Score (NPS) is calculated based on customer feedback indicating on a scale of 0 to 10 the probability of
recommending the service. The percentage of detractors (below 7) is subtracted from the the percentage of promoters
(9 or 10) based on responses, resulting in a score that ranges from -100 to +100.
Gallery
LastMile and Clevon Deliver IKI Supermarkets' Groceries with Fleet of Delivery Robots
Overview
In 2022, in a three-way collaboration, REWE Group’s IKI Supermarkets and LastMile, partnered with Clevon to launch a robotic grocery delivery service in Vilnius, Lithuania.
The Challenge
Overcoming driver shortages and aiming for greener deliveries, the project navigated regulatory challenges to bring forth Lithuania’s first driverless delivery robots to improve urban living and sustainability.
The Solution
To address these challenges, Clevon’s delivery robots were introduced into the daily rhythm of the busy city life, focusing on effectively integrating these robots into Lithuania’s urban delivery system. The project unfolded in two phases.
Phase 1 – Proof of Concept. This initial phase was dedicated to testing the capabilities of CLEVON 1 in a real-worldsetting, demonstrating their effectivenessin reducing emissions and noise pollution.
Phase 2 – Fleet Service Piloting. The service expanded to a full fleet in thecity center to see how well the robots manage different sizes of deliveries and the reliability of remote operations in busy city environments.
The Results
- 136 days of operation
- 500+ end-customer deliveries
- 5100+ kilometers (3200+ miles) driven in all weather conditions (rain, snow, sun, fog, etc.)
- 98.7% service uptime
- Zero safety incidents
- Net Promoter Score 71%
- Vilnius became the first European city with a fleet of driverless delivery robots on public roads
- Recognized for delivery innovation with top industry awards
- Gained valuable insights on customer experience and operational efficiency
- Achieved seamless integration between LastMile's platform and Clevon's delivery technology