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BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Walmart is testing robo-vans from a startup company, Gatik to help move goods from its Supercenter in Rogers, Arkansas, to a Neighborhood Market in nearby Bentonville.
In the pilot program, Palo Alto, California-based Gatik will run three of its modified Ford Transit Connect vans in this “middle mile” logistics scheme, making up to 10 runs a day, seven days a week, during daylight. With human safety operators behind the wheel as backups, the vans will follow one of two routes between the stores: a roundabout 5-mile (one-way) trip that avoids some tricky driving scenarios, or a more direct, uncompromising 2-mile shot. “The main aim is to do that repeatedly, safely, without a safety driver onboard,” says Gatik chief executive officer Gautam Narang.
A law passed during March in Arkansas allows autonomous vehicles on roads.
Walmart execs said they hope to learn more about the logistics so they may add more autonomous vehicles.
Tom Ward, senior vice president of digital operations at Walmart said that the company is exploring a few pilot projects with Gatik.
