Magna, Cartken strike deal on autonomous delivery robots

(Photo credit: Cartken)

According to the companies, manufacturing of Cartken’s Model C robot has begun in a Magna facility in Michigan, with production expected to ramp up over the next few months. As the collaboration expands, the companies say they plan plan to include additional delivery models based on the same platform for different use-applications and robot-as-a-service business models.

Based on Cartken’s forecast, thousands of autonomous delivery robots are expected to be produced during the term of the agreement.

“We continue to identify opportunities in the new mobility ecosystem where we use our capabilities to unlock new growth areas and new business models. This collaboration with Cartken is great example of that approach,” said Matteo Del Sorbo, Executive Vice President, Magna International and Global Lead for Magna New Mobility. “Our ability to design, engineer and manufacture complete vehicles makes Magna an ideal partner for companies looking to solve last mile delivery challenges with sustainable, autonomous and cost-effective solutions.”

Cartken’s fully autonomous delivery robots can operate outdoors and indoors, and are equipped with a remote monitoring and teleoperation system that allows for instantaneous human override if necessary. The autonomous delivery robots are fitted with multiple cameras and respond to situations in real-time , the company says, using a combination of machine learning and simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM)-based navigation algorithms.

Currently, Cartken’s autonomous delivery robot fleet is in commercial operation and has been deployed for various autonomous delivery use cases in malls, hotels, universities, retail, back-of-house, and warehouses world-wide, the company says.
www.cartken.com