Pizza is here!
FORD The American manufacturer and Domino's Pizza are testing pizza delivery with autonomous research vehicles for the first time. In the process, customers will soon be able to remove pizzas from a heated cargo compartment using a code. Domino's Pizza, the global leader in pizza delivery services, and Ford Motor Company launched an industry-first collaboration. Engineers from the two companies are particularly keen to gauge the reactions of customers [...]
Domino's Pizza, the global leader in pizza delivery services, and Ford Motor Company launched an industry-first collaboration. Engineers from the two companies primarily want to study customers' reactions and how they interact with self-driving vehicles.
Self-driving into the future
As Ford continues to expand its self-driving vehicle business, the collaboration with companies like Domino's should ensure that the technology can be adapted more quickly to meet the needs of different customers. Ford plans to start production of self-driving vehicles as early as 2021.
Test phase
The tests with autonomous driving cars are being carried out in Ann Arbor, a medium-sized city in the US state of Michigan. Customers selected at random will receive their pizza by means of so-called "Ford Fusion Hybrid Autonomous Research Vehicles," which will still be accompanied by a Ford engineer for safety reasons. Customers who have previously agreed can track the delivery vehicle via GPS using an updated version of the Domino's Tracker app. They will also receive text messages with real-time location data of the delivery vehicle.
Pre-tests successful
In the run-up to the field trial on public roads, Ford and Domino's tested the delivery process in "Mcity". This open-air laboratory is a recreation of urban structures with building dummies and an eight-kilometer road network including traffic circles, traffic lights, a tunnel, construction sites, footpaths, a bridge, and roadways with a wide variety of surfaces.
