Delivering the Future LAST-MILE SOLUTIONS:
Maddox, Quadient’s executive vice president of North America parcel locker solutions. Once a package has been placed in a locker and the door closes, the recipient is alerted. When they scan in or enter a passcode, the locker containing the package opens. Today, parcel lockers typically are used for deliveries to the final consumer. Down the road, consumers could use lockers to return purchases. Lockers also could be used as a tool for the middle mile, Maddox says. For example, a truck may deliver cargo from a factory to a locker system, after which the routes are split among several regional or local drivers. In Europe, public delivery lockers are becoming more common. While not yet popular in the United States, they would offer some benefits. Businesses could pay commercial shipping rates when shipping to a locker, Maddox says. When placed in a store, lockers could drive foot traffic. More Changes Ahead Delivery solutions, particularly for the last mile, are rapidly innovating. Because the last mile is the most expensive, operationally complex, and customer- visible part of the supply chain, rising costs and expectations make advanced delivery technologies essential. “The last mile has become the defining battleground of modern commerce,” Kumar says.
Udelv pioneered autonomous, electric, cab-less delivery vehicles, which feature a unique uPod smart cargo container that allows for up to 80 stops per trip and secures package retrieval via a customer app.
Typical electric delivery trucks require large batteries, which add weight and expense, says Will Graylin, CEO of IndiGo. Moving the motors to the wheels reduces weight and provides about 30% more room for cargo. In addition, the floor can be lowered, making it easier to load or unload packages. In passenger vehicles, it’s easier to navigate in a wheelchair or other mobility device. The design is like having “a robot in each corner” to make the wheels smart, and able to absorb bumps and keep the vehicle stable, Graylin says. He estimates that IndiGO’s Smart Wheel powered EVs will be available in early 2028. Autonomous Vehicles For roughly nine years, Udelv has been designing and refining autonomous electric delivery vehicles for public roads. “Autonomous driving brings an opportunity to dramatically change the way an automobile or a truck is conceived, because you no longer need a cabin,” Laury says. Instead, the entire interior space can be used for delivery. At the same time, removing the driver creates other challenges. A key one is the lack of a person to load or unload the cargo. To start to address this, the team at Udelv created an adaptable shelving system that can form spaces of varying sizes to accommodate different products. In addition, its patented curtain system is controlled by software and reveals only the cargo designated for each customer. The vehicle’s initial use case likely will
be in the business-to-business market, where professionals will load and unload. Also, the vehicle typically will be able to traverse an established, repeatable route between, say, a manufacturing plant and distribution center. By 2035, about 200 billion vehicle miles will be traveled in the autonomous delivery industry annually, Laury predicts. Smart Parcel Lockers Once packages arrive at their destinations, a secure holding place can reduce theft, streamline pickup and delivery, and reduce the space required to accept deliveries. Parcel Pending by Quadient provides automated locker solutions used by colleges and universities, as well as retail, commercial, and multi-family buildings. Different locker sizes can accommodate different package sizes. The system offers several ways for a carrier delivering a package to open and place packages in a locker. For instance, the
driver might enter a code for the property, identify the recipient, and then select the box size. Based on this information, the locker best suited for that package will automatically open, explains Austin
Parcel Pending by Quadient provides smart locker solutions that streamline package delivery, pickup, and returns. Different locker sizes can accommodate different package sizes.
118 Inbound Logistics • January 2026
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