Ford reveals its future of delivery services

To show how delivery services could adapt in the future, Ford has teamed up with haulage company Gnewt to begin trials of a simpler delivery strategy.

As the number of people using the internet to shop compared to going to the high street rises, delivery vans are becoming more common on the road – meaning more pollution and increased levels of traffic.

But this new trial system from Ford uses both pedestrian and bicycle couriers to complete the last-mile of the journey to a customer’s doorstep – with vehicles driving to a central hub, then packages are delivered from there by bike or on foot.

With this solution in place, delivery timings could be shortened and costs could be significantly reduced – while vans could be used to get more items to the depots instead of driving around going door-to-door.

Also, with less vans on the road, emissions and congestion could be significantly reduced – especially with vehicles not needing to park at the roadside anymore.

Tom Thompson, project lead for Ford Mobility, said: “Our goal is to keep larger vehicles like delivery vans operating in the high‑load, less‑congested environments in which they perform best.

“However, for the last mile of a journey into an urban area, where congestion and lack of parking can be a challenge, it makes sense to offload deliveries to nimbler, efficient and cost‑effective modes of transport.”

Vans could also be converted into ‘warehouses on wheels’, where bikes could be stored for riders and pedestrian deliverers can pick up packages for delivery. Autonomous drones and vehicles could also be used in this way in the future.

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Transport for London’s director for transport innovation Michael Hurwitz said: “Freight and deliveries are central to supporting London’s economy, with half of the value of the capital’s household expenditure relying on it.

“However, congestion and poor air quality are some of the biggest challenges the city faces. More last‑mile deliveries made in this way, alongside the growth of micro‑consolidation centres, are essential to tackle the pollution problem and keeping the roads moving. Ford’s harnessing of technology to change the model for supplying homes and businesses should be applauded and is an example for others in the sector to follow.”