Self-driving car startup AutoX launches grocery delivery
Self-driving car startup AutoX has launched a new grocery delivery and mobile store service in San Jose, Calif., that consumers can use to order fresh produce and other goods.
The company announced Wednesday that its new service is available to customers in geo-fenced areas throughout San Jose.
AutoX said that its pilot launch consists of two phases. While the first phase of its launch is in San Jose, the company said that phase two of the pilot will include Mountain View and Palo Alto.
“We’re very excited to launch the first autonomous grocery delivery and mobile store service in the heart of Silicon Valley with self-driving vehicles on the road,” AutoX founder and chief executive officer Jianxiong Xiao said in a news release. “It’s the first step of our mission to democratize autonomy, and is a testament to our cutting edge A.I. (artificial intelligence) and all its potential capabilities. We believe self-driving car technologies will fundamentally change people’s daily lives for the better.”
With the AutoX mobile application, users can browse and order items such as fresh perishables, vegetables and fruits that are preserved in a temperature-controlled environment during their driverless commute to customers.
“We are enabling two shopping experiences with self-driving cars,” said AutoX chief operating officer Jewel Li. “You can order goods from an app and get them delivered by a self-driving vehicle. Or, our self-driving car brings a shelf of goods to you, and you can select and purchase onsite in front of your house.”
AutoX has partnered with e-commerce company GrubMarket.com to provide the fresh produce it delivers.
In addition to delivering fresh food to retailers such as Whole Foods, Blue Apron, Hello Fresh and Chipotle, GrubMarket also provides organic food directly from producers to AutoX for its self-driving car delivery service.
“AutoX is a true innovator in the autonomous driving industry, as evidenced by their pioneering self-driving delivery vehicle,” GrubMarket CEO Mike Xu said. “We are thrilled to combine the fresh and affordable grocery experience of GrubMarket with the ingenuity and delivery capabilities of AutoX. We look forward to providing our customers with even more convenient delivery options.”
Furthermore, AutoX said that its vehicles are fitted with high-resolution cameras with sensing capabilities that enable them to safely detect objects and see farther ahead for longer-distance trips.
“Highest safety and lowest cost, this is where our key technology lies,” said Jianxiong. With a diverse team of research minds from the likes of MIT, Stanford, CMU, Berkeley, along with engineering talent from Google, Apple, Microsoft, Amazon and Ford, AutoX is determined to make a mark on the autonomous driving industry.”