Seeking to solve the last-mile delivery challenge, businesses are exploring technologies such as drones, delivery robots and electric vehicles to do the delivery job more affordably and sustainably. Indeed, the market for autonomous delivery robots is growing at an impressive rate, with a compound annual growth rate of 35.4%, estimated to reach USD 139.22 Billion by the end of 2036.

Designed with efficiency in mind, Clevon’s multi-functional robots can be adapted to transport anything and navigate through urban environments with ease. The company, which came to market in 2007 as a provider of parcel delivery lockers, pivoted to become a manufacturer of autonomous robots in 2017, anticipating a rise in demand for ground transportation technologies for last-mile delivery. And in 2021, Clevon became the first company in Europe to drive an unmanned vehicle on public roads.

A more economical and sustainable delivery method

“Driving from door to door is the most cost-intensive part of the logistics journey. Our team felt there had to be a better, more efficient, economical and sustainable delivery method,” says Meelis Anton, COO Clevon US. “It made no sense to us to have a human drive a 5,000 lb vehicle from one location to another to deliver a pizza or a small package. Add to that, we have a labour and driver availability shortage, which further builds a strong business case for using autonomous vehicles to do these delivery jobs.”

Clevon’s vehicle platform, called Clevon 1, is modular in design, so the vehicle can be adapted to different business models to increase ROI, offer diverse services and deliver a wide variety of goods ranging from groceries to bigger-sized appliances. Running on electricity, Clevon 1 is also 5 times lighter and more efficient that a traditional delivery van.

Without the need for a dedicated driver, one teleoperator can monitor a fleet of 10 Clevon 1 carriers simultaneously, drastically reducing delivery costs and resolving the challenges of driver shortages. To ensure the vehicle safely operates in an urban environment, each Clevon 1 is outfitted with a camera and radar stack providing a clear 360º field of view of the robot's surroundings to detect objects and to predict and avoid traffic collisions. Integration with delivery providers’ systems, allows consumers to pick select a window for delivery, get updated on the status of delivery and download a code to access their parcel.

Growth in North America a Priority

After initial success in European countries including Belgium, Estonia, Lithuania and the Netherlands, working with customers such as DHL Express, IKI Supermarkets and Viljandi Hospital, Clevon is now focused on growing its presence in the North American market, working with partners such as Postnet, to provide last mile delivery and pick up of packages.

The service is particularly popular with eCommerce vendors, who benefit from the simplified shipping process. Clevon has also been busy inking deals with industrial and manufacturing partners to have Clevon 1 autonomous robots provide courier services on-site, ferrying equipment and parts between buildings on a manufacturing campus.

“Many manufacturers are now using automation inside their warehouses and facilities. That is quite a common practice these days. We’re just taking it one step further, expanding the use of autonomous vehicles outside the facility as well,” says Meelis.

And in Arlington Virginia, Clevon’s vehicles can be spotted doing food deliveries for the food bank to bring services to the city’s underserved communities.

Clevon was first introduced to Khasm Labs (formerly 5G Open Innovation Lab) through a mutual relationship with T-Mobile. The Lab’s team helped open new doors to industry partners, who have, in turn, facilitated introductions to customers where Clevon has been able to showcase its value -- especially to those enterprises operating private networks.

“Jim Brisimitzis and the Lab’s team have been incredible allies for us in the North American market,” says Meelis. “It’s one thing to be on your own pushing out your message, but there’s only so far we can get on our own. Jim and team are held in high regard, which has helped us get in front of the right companies and the right people.”

With demand for autonomous last mile delivery growing leaps and bounds, expect to see more of Clevon’s vehicles on city streets and industrial campuses in the near future, delivering everything from groceries to dry cleaning to industrial parts.

Stay tuned, says Meelis. “We have some new partnerships forthcoming that will soon show the world how these capabilities are evolving to serve the market on a larger scale than we could achieve on our own.”