Many millions of parcels are sent in Germany every day. However, delivering them is time-consuming. Ever larger consignments, a shortage of staff and increasing cost pressure are pushing parcel services to their limits. Researchers at the West Saxon University of Applied Sciences Zwickau are therefore working on a solution to automate delivery on the so-called "last mile".
The LATTICE junior research group has been at work at the WHZ Zwickau since the end of 2025. This stands for "Last Urban Autonomous Logistics". Behind the long name is a concrete idea: a self-driving transport station collects parcels from a distribution center and delivers them autonomously to the recipients' immediate vicinity. Recipients are informed via smartphone and can collect their parcel at a specified time. The system is designed to relieve delivery staff of physically strenuous work, especially in view of ever larger and heavier parcels.
Live test planned at Zwickau's Kornmarkt
The project will run until the end of October 2028 and is being funded with around one million euros from the European Social Fund Plus and tax revenue from the Free State of Saxony. The plan is to present the developed solution at a public demonstration at Zwickau's Kornmarkt in 2028.
Voßwinkel emphasizes that the project is pursuing long-term goals in addition to technical development. New concepts for urban logistics could reduce emissions and traffic volumes and improve the quality of life in cities.
Further information on the research group can be found here.
