Mobileye, Udelv Taking Self-Driving Vehicle Preorders; 1st Due in 2023

Udelv and Intel subsidiary Mobileye bowed a self-driving system Monday for commercial fleet leasing and management companies, with the first preorder of 1,000 Transporters announced by Donlen. Mobileye Drive is the autonomous driver technology behind Udelv’s Transporter. Mobile and Udelv plan to produce more than 35,000 Transporters by 2028, with commercial operations beginning in 2023. “COVID-19 has accelerated demand for autonomous goods delivery,” said Mobileye CEO Amnon Shashua. Last-mile delivery is the most expensive part of distribution, at 53% of the overall cost of goods, added Udelv, and consumers are buying more goods online. That's expected to raise urban last-mile delivery volume by 75%-80% by 2030. A driver shortage is making it difficult for companies to keep pace, it said.