In an era dominated by ongoing urbanization and rising e-commerce, the efficient delivery of goods within cities becomes a major challenge. As a new element of urban logistics, we discuss the potential of autonomous unmanned ground vehicles (AUGV) regarding the last mile delivery of shipments to customers. We propose an optimization model to minimize the delivery costs of urban shipments using AUGV. Simultaneously, best locations from a set of existing stations are selected for AUGV positioning and optimal route determination. With our developed Location Routing Problem, we provide decision support for parcel service providers, city authorities, and other relevant decision makers. Regarding the Green Information Systems domain, we tackle the lack of solution-oriented research addressing a more sustainable and locally emission free supply of goods within urban areas.

Key findings

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It is apparent that if the number of compartments increases, both the total costs and the distance traveled decrease.

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AUGV will cause a perceptible impact taking over special shipments promoting new business models for urban delivery, e.g., same-day or same-hour deliveries.

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A crucial factor regarding the delivery robots’ efficiency is the number of its compartments. Delivery loops can only go as long or as far as there is space for delivery items.

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