Loblaw launches Canada's first driverless food delivery trucks in Toronto

Grocery conglomerate Loblaw and Silicon Valley startup Gatik have announced the launch of driverless food delivery trucks, a first in Canada.

Select online grocery orders for Loblaw’s PC Express service will now make deliveries using “autonomous box trucks.” According to a press release, driverless deliveries allow Loblaw to operate more routes and establish a supply chain that is safer and more sustainable.

Loblaw operates more than 2,400 stores across Canada. For now, a number of driverless trucks will service the Toronto area.

Loblaw Companies Limited

This has been a long time in the making.

Since January 2020, Loblaw and Gatik have transported more than 150,000 autonomous deliveries (with a safety driver on board), with a 100% safety record.

A three-month third-party safety review commissioned by Loblaw also took place where Gatik’s autonomous technology was fully endorsed.

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“Being the first in Canada with this technology and deploying a fully driverless solution is exciting and illustrates our commitment to making grocery shopping better for customers,” said David Markwell, chief technology and analytics officer, Loblaw Companies Limited.

As stated in the press release, this isn’t Gatik’s first rodeo. In 2021, the company helped Walmart go driverless in Arkansas, making Gatik the first autonomous trucking company worldwide to remove the safety driver from a commercial delivery route.