The latest rolling delivery bot may not have arms to unload the goods, or articulating legs to tackle challenging obstacles, or even work in tandem with a robo-flyer. But the Robovan W5 does boast "autonomous capabilities and substantial cargo capacity."
Developed by China's WeRide, the W5 is reported to have the largest cargo capacity its class – which translates to 5.5 cubic meters (194 cu ft) of space for a payload weighing up to 1,000 kg (~2,200 lb). The cargo area is also modular in nature, and can be fitted out to support various business needs.
The unmanned delivery solution is capable of Level 4 autonomy, leveraging company know-how gleaned from almost 40 million kilometers (a little short of 25 million miles) of autonomous driving on public roads via its fleet of robotaxis and other vehicles.
Its suite of proprietary redundant sensors offers 360-degree perception and is "capable of accurately detecting vehicles, traffic lights, pedestrians, and other road users." The W5 can initiate overtaking maneuvers, dynamic obstacle avoidance, adjust for inclines, and dock or park as needed. A path optimization system will adjust routes in real-time depending on traffic conditions to " enhance delivery efficiency in express delivery, urban distribution and point-to-point logistics."
The electric drivetrain includes batteries that are good for a per-charge operating range of 220 km (136 miles), though there's no mention of operational speed. On the safety front, the vehicle's redundant perception technologies are joined by a redundant drive-by-wire chassis, emergency braking, a collision warning system, remote monitoring and cloud control. The vehicle is reported capable of rolling in all weathers, day and night.
The Robovan W5's cargo space can accommodate a payload of 5.5 cubic meters and weighing 1,000 kg
If the operator runs a fleet of W5s, WeRide says that the system supports multi-vehicle platooning for easier management. Businesses are also said to benefit from intelligent scheduling, data analytics and over-the-air upgrades. Plus WeRide offers around-the-clock support, on-site training and complimentary maintenance as part of its service deal.
"The Robovan W5 demonstrates WeRide's latest breakthrough in autonomous delivery and ability to adapt WeRide’s proven autonomous driving technology across different urban scenarios with our self-developed universal autonomous driving technology platform WeRide One," said Dr. Tony Han, Founder and CEO of WeRide. "From our GXR Robotaxi serving passengers and Robosweeper cleaning the urban environment to the Robovan W5 handling urban logistics, we're creating a comprehensive ecosystem of autonomous driving solutions to cover diverse urban transportation needs."