UK parcel delivery company DPD has become the first to deploy the fully autonomous ‘Locker’ robot Ottobot.  

Larger than DPD’s existing autonomous delivery robots, the eight compartment ‘locker on wheels’ is designed to complete multiple deliveries carrying a maximum 70kg payload of various-sized packages. It can also facilitate collections.  

The robot features four-wheel powered swerve drive with independent steering and suspension, which provides maximum manoeuvrability. Multiple sensors including light detection and ranging ‘lidars’ and cameras, and cutting-edge software “enable the Ottobot to navigate the most complex environments autonomously”. 

The first locker robot will be deployed in Milton Keynes, where the company has been operating autonomous robot deliveries since July 2022.

The Ottobot will be based at its Milton Keynes depot in Knowlhill and will navigate the city’s traffic-free Redway network to access nearby residential neighbourhoods.

DPD parcel recipients will receive an SMS when the robot is outside their property and can then use a secure one-time pin code to open the robot and access their parcel. 

The robot battery lasts up to six hours with the ability to keep swapping the battery for a new fully charged one at the depot, to keep the robot on the road.  

Tim Jones, Director of Marketing, Communications & Sustainability DPD group UK said: “This is the next chapter for us in terms of autonomous deliveries after a very successful roll-out across a number of different locations. It’s well over two years now since we began autonomous robot deliveries and the customer feedback continues to be incredibly positive.  

“We’ve also learned a lot in terms of how best to deploy the technology and how to maximise the effectiveness of the robots day to day.” 

Ritukar Vijay, founder & CEO, Ottonomy added: “DPD is already well ahead of its competitors with its robot fleet and is well placed to maximise the full potential of Ottobot.  Our autonomous robot technology is designed to help brands meet customers’ ever-changing demands in new ways and provide the scalability to be a truly effective solution.”