The LogiSmile Project - Piloting autonomous vehicles for last-mile Logistics in european cities

Abstract

The use of autonomous technologies for last-mile logistics has the potential to reduce operation costs, cut emissions from the delivery sector, improve safety levels in communities, and provide efficient delivery solutions in areas which experience access regulations. Unfortunately, the implementation of real-life, economically-sustainable, and safe use cases in open urban environments remains scarce, especially in Europe. As a consequence, there is a real need for pilot tests of innovative delivery schemes based on autonomous technologies, not only in numerical simulations, but also in representative urban settings throughout Europe. In this paper, we will present the LogiSmile project, in which a consortium of European partners is piloting a transport management system for autonomous last-mile logistics. Beyond describing the delivery characteristics and use cases of this system, we also highlight the lessons learnt during the course of the project about managing innovation in the urban mobility field, gathering insight form the innovation triple helix (academia, industry and public sector).