In addition to the international parcel and express service DPD, the scientific project partners behind VanAssist are the Lower Saxony Research Center for Automotive Engineering NFF at TU Braunschweig, TU Clausthal, Offenburg University of Applied Sciences and the University of Mannheim as well as BridgingIT GmbH, IAV GmbH, Ibeo Automotive Systems GmbH and Zentec GmbH. The autonomous parcel transporter is designed to optimize the delivery process and effectively relieve parcel carriers. The project, which is funded by the Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure (BMVI), is now entering the practical phase with the installation of sensors and control technology in the basic structure of the autonomous electric vehicle.

As an interactive, intelligent system for autonomous, remotely monitored vans in parcel logistics, the VanAssist project includes the autonomously driving motion board as well as a complete software solution for calculating optimal delivery routes and flexible control of the vehicle. As a result of the project, a so-called "demonstrator" is being created, which realistically depicts the functionality of future series-produced vehicles and can serve as the basis for series development.

In practice, deliveries are to be made in rendezvous mode in future. The vehicle will be able to cover the route from the depot to the delivery area autonomously, with the delivery driver only joining the vehicle at a defined meeting point. At a stopping point previously defined via route optimization, the delivery person picks up the parcels that they can deliver on foot in the immediate vicinity. While the delivery person is delivering several parcels in an area that is not accessible or can only be accessed via a detour, for example, the vehicle moves independently to the next stopping point and waits there for the delivery person. In the meantime, the delivery person can use an indoor navigation system from BridgingIT GmbH to guide them on the best route through an office building to the next meeting point with the vehicle.

Because the delivery driver and vehicle are always in contact via a secure communication unit, the vehicle can be flexibly directed to a different stop to the one originally specified at any time. Furthermore, the vehicle is in continuous contact with a control center so that problems can be responded to without the intervention of the delivery person. As a result, unnecessary routes and walking distances for the delivery driver should be reduced, meaning that more parcels can be reliably delivered in less time and the delivery driver's workload effectively reduced.

Following the development phase, VanAssist is now starting to implement the project: the demonstrator is being assembled on the TU Braunschweig campus, where the test track for demonstrating the functions of the fully autonomous delivery vehicle is also located. This will be based on the motion board supplied by Hanseatische Fahrzeug Manufaktur GmbH. Ibeo is equipping it with its 4D LiDAR solid state technology for a 360° all-round view and a safety system to monitor autonomous driving. The vehicle should be fully operational by the end of the year, with the final presentation scheduled for summer 2021.

After an intensive planning phase, we are very pleased to now be able to start the concrete implementation of the project together with our partners from science and industry," says Gerd Seber, Group Manager City Logistics & Sustainability at DPD Germany. "We see autonomous vehicle technology primarily as support for the human delivery driver. With a fully autonomous delivery vehicle, the delivery process can be even more efficient in future - and the human workforce can concentrate even more on the actual parcel delivery."

"The VanAssist project gives us the opportunity to develop a completely new modular, electrified vehicle that is capable of autonomous driving. In addition to the further development of existing automated driving functionalities, the parcel delivery use case gives us the opportunity to test these in a new traffic environment," explains Prof. Roman Henze, Head of the "Intelligent Vehicle and Connected Driving" research field at the Lower Saxony Research Center for Vehicle Technology (NFF). "The further development of HMI concepts through the interaction between the automated vehicle and the user, i.e. the delivery person, is also an exciting research question."

"This project is particularly exciting for us: we can further develop our research findings in the field of autonomous vehicle safety and test them in a real-life environment. Through our on-board monitoring and the connection to a central control station, we can demonstrably and substantially increase the safety of such systems. This means that the introduction of autonomous vehicles can be realized much faster," says Prof. Dr. Andreas Rausch, Director of the Institute for Software & Systems Engineering (ISSE) at Clausthal University of Technology and member of the board of the Lower Saxony Research Center for Vehicle Technology (NFF).

The project, which has a total budget of 4.3 million euros, is being funded by the Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure. As part of the "Automated and Connected Driving" funding program, the project will receive a total of 2.7 million euros in funding. DPD Deutschland GmbH is the consortium leader and is supported by ZENTEC GmbH in the administration of the project.

The project partners at a glance

BridgingIT GmbH
DPD Germany GmbH
Offenburg University of Applied Sciences - Institute for Reliable Embedded Systems and Communication Electronics
IAV GmbH - Ingenieurgesellschaft Auto und Verkehr
Ibeo Automotive Systems GmbH
NFF Technical University of Braunschweig - Institute for Automotive Engineering
NFF, Clausthal University of Technology - Institute for Software and Systems Engineering
University of Mannheim - Institute for Enterprise Systems
Project coordinator: ZENTEC Center for Technology, Start-ups and Cooperation GmbH