The supermarket giant Asda has announced it’s going to trial autonomous vans as part of its last mile delivery operation.

It’s working with UK-based autonomous mobility start-up Wayve on the trial which will begin in early 2022. Asda will be the first to commercially test the solution, using Wayve’s expertise in deep learning to help navigate complex urban delivery routes in London.

The autonomous vans will operate under the supervision of a Wayve Safety Driver throughout the 12-month trial, where Wayve and Asda will use their capabilities to help to integrate autonomy into the online grocery space and learn how the technology can shape the future of last mile delivery.

Alex Kendall, Wayve CEO, said, “Last mile delivery represents an ideal first use case for the Wayve Driver, which can navigate the complexities of urban driving and easily adapt to new routes. We are excited to be working with Asda as our first commercial partner. They have a proven track record of delivering innovations in online grocery shopping that improve customer experiences. This makes them an ideal partner to support the development of autonomous vehicle technology. ”

Simon Gregg, Vice President Online Grocery at Asda, commented, “We want to explore how autonomous vehicle technology can enhance our operating model as well as the experience for our colleagues and customers. We are pleased to partner with Wayve on this trial. Over the course of the last year, demand for online groceries has grown significantly, and we continue to push new boundaries in terms of retail innovation and technologies that can help us develop the most sustainable last mile solutions for our business.“

(Picture – Wayve)