Driverless grocery delivery trucks now in Toronto
Shopping for groceries in the Greater Toronto Area just got a little more futuristic.
Loblaw Cos. Ltd and autonomous middle mile logistics company Gatik have teamed up to launch Canada’s first fully driverless grocery delivery truck.
“Being the first in Canada with this technology and deploying a fully driverless solution is exciting and illustrates our commitment to making grocery shopping better for customers,” Loblaw’s Chief Technology and Analytics Officer, David Markwell, said in a news release published Wednesday.
- Download our app to get local alerts to your device
- Get the latest local updates right to your inbox
The two companies have been testing the technology since Jan. 2020 and completed 150,000 autonomous deliveries with a 100 per cent safety record during that time.
During those trials, a “safety driver” was on board and in the driver’s seat as a safeguard -- but not operating the vehicle’s controls.
As of today, Loblaw told CTV News Toronto in an email it has five trucks on the road. One of those vehicles is operating fully autonomously, while the other four have a safety driver on board.
One of Loblaw's driverless delivery trucks is seen in this image. (Loblaw Cos. Ltd/Gatik)
The refrigerated trucks operate for about 12 hours a day and pick up grocery orders from a Loblaw distribution facility before arriving at nearby retail locations in the GTA on fixed, repetitive, predictable routes.
With the removal of the safety driver, the companies believe they are able to unlock the “true advantages of autonomous delivery.”
“Autonomous delivery enables Loblaw to operate more routes and make more frequent trips, establishing a supply chain that is safer, more sustainable and more resilient,” the news release reads.
As for scaling up the project, Loblaw says there is no specific timeline but they will continue to review results and look to see where else the technology might make sense.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Man who set himself on fire outside Trump trial dies of injuries, police say
A man who doused himself in an accelerant and set himself on fire outside the courthouse where former U.S. President Donald Trump is on trial has died, police said.
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
'It was joy': Trapped B.C. orca calf eats seal meat, putting rescue on hold
A rescue operation for an orca calf trapped in a remote tidal lagoon off Vancouver Island has been put on hold after it started eating seal meat thrown in the water for what is believed to be the first time.
Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
B.C. judge orders shared dog custody for exes who both 'clearly love Stella'
In a first-of-its-kind ruling, a B.C. judge has awarded a former couple joint custody of their dog.
Saskatoon police to search landfill for remains of woman missing since 2020
Saskatoon police say they will begin searching the city’s landfill for the remains of Mackenzie Lee Trottier, who has been missing for more than three years.
Shivering for health: The myths and truths of ice baths explained
In a climate of social media-endorsed wellness rituals, plunging into cold water has promised to aid muscle recovery, enhance mental health and support immune system function. But the evidence of such benefits sits on thin ice, according to researchers.