The new concept car, or "Vision Van" from Mercedes-Benz Vans merges a number of innovative technologies for last-mile delivery operations.
It features a fully automated cargo space, integrated drones for autonomous air deliveries and a joystick control. The Vision Van is powered by a 75 kW electric drive system with a range of up to 270 km.
(Image courtesy of Daimler AG.)
"With the Vision Van we are presenting the intelligent, clean and fully interconnected van of the future", said Volker Mornhinweg, Head of Mercedes-Benz Vans. "The Vision Van integrates many concrete concepts for future delivery operations in the urban environment, such as a fully automatic cargo space, autonomously flying delivery drones and innovative communication features."
The Vision Van is intended to serve as the central, intelligent element in a fully connected delivery chain. Algorithms control order picking, the loading of packages, the automated cargo space management, route planning for the vehicle and the delivery drones. They also calculate ideal delivery routes for the package deliverer.
(Image courtesy of Daimler AG.)
Automatic order picking takes place at the logistics center, for example, and consignments are loaded into special racking systems. Driverless handling vehicles load the racks by way of an automated one-shot loading process. The intelligent cargo space management system automatically transfers packages for manual delivery to the deliverer by means of a package dispenser on board the vehicle. At the same time, the system supplies two drones, each with a payload capacity of two kilograms, with consignments for autonomous delivery within a radius of 10 km.
(Image courtesy of Daimler AG.)
According to the company this significantly reduces delivery time per package and the vehicle's curbside time. "We estimate that this vehicle would enable an increase in productivity of up to 50 percent in last-mile delivery services," said Mornhinweg.
The vehicle communicates with its surroundings via LED displays on the front and rear. Warnings appear when the delivery drones take off, when the vehicle stops or when the deliverer alights, for example.
The designers have done without a steering wheel, pedals and centre console in favour of drive-by-wire control by means of a joystick. This made it possible to move the driver's seat further forward to enlarge the vehicle's useful floor space.
(Image courtesy of Daimler AG.)
The vehicle also communicates with the driver via the cabin floor. LED indicators signal whether pedestrians or cyclists are approaching, for example. At the rear wall of the driver's cabin are the package dispenser and the driver's info terminal.
This terminal serves as a means of communication between the Vision Van's autonomously functioning system environment and the driver. It also performs the role of a central control unit to interlink the intelligent vehicle, the automated systems and the information relating to the delivery orders to be carried out.
For a very different take on the future of delivery, this Domino’s robotic unit delivers pizza in Australia.