// ROBOTICS AND SMART FACTORIES TERM

Last Mile

The "last mile" in logistics refers to the final leg of a product's journey, typically from a transportation hub or distribution center to the end customer's doorstep.

Last Mile — illustration from Wikipedia
Image via Wikipedia

TECHNICAL DEFINITION

The last mile logistics segment involves the final stage of goods delivery, transporting products from a local distribution hub or transportation center directly to the end consumer's specified destination, often the most complex and costly part of the supply chain.

BACKGROUND

Mahindra Electric, also known as Mahindra Last Mile Mobility Limited, formerly known as Mahindra Electric Mobility Limited (2016–2023) and Reva Electric Car Company (2010–2016), was an Indian company based in Bangalore that designed and manufactured compact electric vehicles. The company's first vehicle, the REVAi electric car, was available in 26 countries with 4,000 versions sold worldwide by mid-March 2011. Reva was acquired by the Indian conglomerate Mahindra & Mahindra in May 2010. After the acquisition, the company launched the electric hatchback e2o in 2013. The company sold electric vehicles in different segments – the electric sedan eVerito, the electric commercial vehicle eSupro, and the Treo range of low maintenance, lithium-ion battery-powered three-wheelers. As a part of Mahindra & Mahindra, they now sell the XUV 400, BE 6 and XEV 9e under the Mahindra branding, while electric commercial vehicles still use the Last Mile Mobility branding.

READ MORE ON WIKIPEDIA

SYNONYMS & ALIASES

  • Final delivery
  • home delivery
  • local delivery
  • end-customer delivery
  • last-leg delivery

USAGE NOTE

Last mile delivery is often the most expensive and challenging part of the supply chain due to traffic, varied destinations, and customer expectations.

DEVELOPERS

Organizations developing technology related to Last Mile.

  • Starship Technologies

    Develops and operates fleets of autonomous, six-wheeled robots for local delivery of food, groceries, and small packages.

  • Nuro

    Designs and builds custom-engineered, fully autonomous vehicles for the purpose of transporting goods on public roads.

  • Zipline

    Operates an autonomous drone delivery system for medical supplies and, increasingly, commercial products, enabling on-demand, last-mile aerial logistics.

  • Wing

    An Alphabet subsidiary that provides a drone delivery service for small packages, partnering with retail and food businesses to deliver goods directly to consumers.

  • Amazon Robotics & Prime Air

    Amazon's divisions developing advanced warehouse automation and last-mile delivery technologies, including the Prime Air drone service and the Scout autonomous delivery robot.

  • Gatik

    Focuses on B2B short-haul logistics using autonomous light and medium-duty trucks to move goods from distribution centers to retail stores, optimizing a critical link for last-mile fulfillment.

  • UPS Flight Forward

    The drone delivery subsidiary of UPS, certified by the FAA to operate as a drone airline, focusing on healthcare and retail package delivery.

  • Matternet

    Creates drone logistics platforms for urban and suburban environments, enabling on-demand, automated aerial delivery of parcels, medical samples, and other goods.

  • Boston Dynamics

    Develops advanced mobile robots. Their Stretch robot automates truck unloading and case handling in warehouses, a key step that feeds into the last-mile delivery chain.

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