Ford Motor Company has announced that it launched a pilot trial of last-mile logistics technology in partnership with Agility Robotics. Ford released a video demonstrating DIGIT-1, an android produced by Agility, carrying a package from an autonomous van straight up to the customer’s door.
Agility Robotics was founded in 2016 in Oregon. It develops and builds self-balancing legged robotic helpers. The startup has raised $8.8 million in funding to date.
In 2017 Ford invested $1 billion in autonomous car startup Argo AI, based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It runs autonomous vehicle tests in Pittsburgh, Washington D.C., Detroit and Palo Alto, California. The company has previously tested autonomous vans during a trial with delivery service Postmates in Miami in 2018, as well as through pilot programs with retail giant Walmart and pizza delivery service of Domino’s.
Photo: Ford