UPS is partnering with self-driving technology company Waymo to pilot autonomous vehicle package pick-up in the Metro Phoenix area.
Waymo’s Chrysler Pacifica minivans will shuttle packages from The UPS Store locations to a local UPS sorting facility for processing.
The two companies will explore how autonomous ground vehicles improve customer service and network efficiency.
In the Arizona pilot, the vehicle will drive autonomously with a Waymo-trained driver on board to monitor operations.
Scott Price, chief strategy and transformation officer at UPS, said, “Getting packages to our sortation facilities sooner and more frequently, while also creating an opportunity for later drop-offs for next-day service, can add enormous value for our customers.”
Tekedra Mawakana, chief operating officer of Waymo, added, “Waymo’s mission is to make it safe and easy for people and things to get where they’re going, and our partnership with UPS allows us to continue developing how our Waymo Driver can facilitate pick-ups.”