REWE and LOXO test highly automated delivery vehicle in Bochum

The future becomes tangible in Bochum: REWE is the first food retailer in Germany to test the delivery of groceries with a highly automated vehicle (level 4 of autonomous driving*) in daily operations. Together with the Swiss technology company LOXO and Bochum Wirtschaftsentwicklung, REWE is bringing the vehicle to the streets of the Ruhr city. A specially equipped VW ID. Buzz will deliver orders for the REWE delivery service on its own – accompanied only by a safety driver. The partners are thus deploying the maximum possible degree of automation in a pilot application on German roads.

During the pilot period of around six months, REWE and LOXO want to find solutions for putting a technically autonomous delivery service with the highest possible capacity on the road. REWE and LOXO also want to gain insights into which technical and economically relevant KPIs can be achieved (e.g. what degree of autonomy is possible).

With this pilot project, we are once again pioneers in Germany and are setting another milestone in the digitalization and automation of our processes, says Kai-Uwe Reimers, Head of Research Innovation REWE digital. With our pilot vehicle, we want to test how highly automated vehicles can usefully complement our existing delivery processes. In doing so, we are leading the way in identifying, developing and implementing new technical possibilities. To get on the right track early on, we are piloting and testing applications quickly and continuously adapting them as we implement them.

Integration into existing infrastructure

In Bochum, the VW ID.Buzz can be recognized by the branding of the REWE delivery service. This is because the pilot vehicle is integrated into the existing REWE delivery service infrastructure. The routes are planned manually and controlled via the REWE e-commerce systems. Nothing changes for customers: orders are placed as usual via the REWE delivery service, while delivery to the front door is handled by the safety driver, who sits in the cockpit during the journey so that he can intervene if necessary. This is the first time that a highly automated vehicle has been used in real-life operation in the food retail sector in Germany.

As a partner, LOXO is responsible for the software and operation of the vehicle (in Bochum, this is level 4 – highly automated driving*). At this level, a vehicle can manage journeys on certain routes independently and is also permitted to drive without a safety officer on board. In Bochum, however, there will always be a safety officer in the cockpit. LOXO’s Digital Driver software is used in Bochum. Among other things, it combines advanced AI with state-of-the-art sensors that enable faster data processing so that vehicles can drive fully automatically on public roads.

We at LOXO are proud to be doing pioneering work again – this time together with REWE. Our collaboration is another step forward for automated driving in urban delivery. By pushing the boundaries of innovation, we are not only driving growth in the logistics sector, but also realizing our shared vision: safer cities, more sustainable mobility and a better daily life for citizens, says Amin Amini, CEO of LOXO AG. LOXO has come to Germany with the clear goal of consistently building on our successes in Switzerland. I am convinced that autonomous urban logistics has a sustainable future in Germany. The collaboration between REWE and LOXO forms a strong foundation for this – and this project is an important part of the process, says Lara Amini, Managing Director of LOXO Germany.

The project in Bochum serves as a realistic test run to gain experience with self-driving delivery vehicles in urban areas and to further develop the technology – always taking into account the highest safety standards. The REWE Lieferservice fulfillment center – opening in 2022 – is located in the west of the city of Bochum. The residential areas to be supplied are in the immediate vicinity and the vehicle will then drive itself to them. Bochum stands for the transformation of mobility like hardly any other city: from a production location to the laboratory of the future. Autonomous driving shows the extent to which this change is already taking effect – with research, development and application directly on site. Bochum Economic Development sees itself as a bridge builder between companies, science and the city for mobility that is safe, intelligent and sustainable, says Dr. Thomas Wollinger, Managing Director of Bochum Economic Development.

*There are 5 levels on the road to autonomous driving. At level 4, a vehicle can drive autonomously in certain environments or situations. With the law on autonomous driving, which came into force on 28.07.2021, Germany has created the legal framework that enables the use of driverless vehicles (Level 4) on public roads – locally limited in a so-called defined operating area – beyond pure testing. At level 5, a vehicle can drive autonomously in any situation – without human intervention.