Imagine you’re sitting in the office and suddenly you crave a bag of gummy bears. Or you suddenly feel the need for an ice cold cola. Problem: The nearest supermarket is far away. A rolling supermarket would of course be useful. And that’s exactly what it is now.
It will take a few more years to cars en masse autonomous roll over the German roads, but step by step it goes ahead. The mobile network operator Vodafone and the grocery retailer Rewe have now presented a project vehicle that is literally awesome and that can be driven without a driver. A self-propelled kiosk that delivers snacks and drinks.
TEST BALLOON FOR AUTONOMOUS DRIVING
The Rewe Snack Mobil now rolls through the Carlswerk in Cologne between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. in a continuous loop at a maximum of 6 km / h. It supplies passers-by and office workers on site with food and drinks. To bring the vehicle to a stop, it is sufficient to wave briefly. Cameras and sensors on the roof recognize the hand signals and bring the self-propelled kiosk to a standstill.
The definition of fixed stops is also planned for the coming days. Gradually, an expansion of the route is planned. The Snack Mobil has a selection of soft drinks, sweets and healthy snacks on board. Payment is made contactless – for example with a smartphone. In just a few days, it should be possible to use the Rewe app to check where the Snack Mobil is currently located.
The area of the Carlswerk in Cologne is perfect for the pilot project. Because numerous well-known companies are represented here with offices. On an area of 126,000 m², premises are rented to Deutsche Post, Eurowings and Tesla, among others. Rewe Digital, who played a leading role in the development of the Snack Mobil, is also at home here. In the immediate vicinity there are also TV studios in which Brainpool produces, among other things, the shows of “Schlag den Star”.
LTE AND 5G KEEP THE REWE SNACK MOBIL ON COURSE
From a technical perspective, the Rewe Snack Mobil travels a predefined route within
the business park, so to speak, via a virtual rail network. A SIM card and an external antenna keep the kiosk in contact with a virtual route planner via LTE and 5G and thus always on course. Sensors on the vehicle also recognize from a distance when the paths cross with passers-by. Then the car stops and only continues when the safety distance is large enough again.
It is planned that the mobile will initially make its rounds in the Carlswerk until September. During the first few days, it is accompanied by a qualified employee who always keeps an eye on the vehicle and can intervene in an emergency. An evaluation of the results from the first everyday tests is then planned. It is then also intended to decide on further use.
