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Sign upJuly 4, 2021
La Poste
Montpellier
We have been conducting experiments with our droids in collaboration with La Poste in Montpellier, France, since 2021. The use cases are: 1. Transporting packages and mail between post offices. 2. Restocking mail carriers with packages and mail during their rounds to avoid them having to start their day carrying their entire route (reducing weight and strain). 3. Collecting mail/packages from merchants, businesses, and administrations in the late afternoon. The goal is to reduce the number of thermal vehicles in the city center and automate these tasks. We tested several types of droids, and ultimately, the ciTHy L with a single opening box proved to be the most practical for regular use. The service is expected to scale up in 2025, once the regulations on autonomous vehicles in Europe evolve (for commercial use and not just experimental).
Environmental and life cycle assessment (LCA) studies on the ciTHy L use case by La Poste in Montpellier reveal significant benefits: a 5.4-ton reduction in CO2 emissions compared to diesel van deliveries, and a 75% decrease in energy consumption compared to electric van deliveries. Economically, the automation of these tasks offers a cost-effective, safe service for La Poste customers. Additionally, efforts have been made to ensure the acceptance of the droids by postal workers and the public.
The ciTHy L droids are autonomous mobile robots designed for last-mile delivery in urban areas. These small vehicles can carry up to 300 kg of goods. The box at the back is interchangeable, allowing it to be prepared in advance for each specific use case (package transport, clothing, fresh products, glass bottle return, etc.). These robots are equipped with redundant sensors (lidar, cameras, GPS, etc.) to perceive their environment and localize themselves. They move completely autonomously by following virtual routes in cities. They have 5 cascading safety mechanisms to avoid collisions and prevent injuries to people. The droids have a particular design based on our acceptability studies: the vintage van style, enhanced with animated eyes, speech, and micro-behaviors, is extremely important for these robots to peacefully share the road with other users.
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