First customer pilot in Germany with highly automated trucks will move commercial freight in the Baden-Württemberg-Hessen region

IVECO and Plus announced today with dm-drogerie markt, Europe’s largest retail chain of drugstores, and DSV, one of the world’s leading transport and logistics providers, the launch of an automated trucking pilot in Germany which will start in the first half of 2024. An IVECO heavy duty truck integrated with Plus’s AI-based, driver-supervised highly automated driving software will operate on a DSV route to transport dm-drogerie markt products in Germany’s Baden-Württemberg-Hessen region. Piloting with a logistics carrier on a bustling commercial freight route is a key enabler for the large-scale deployment of automated trucks in the coming years.

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IVECO, Plus, dm-drogerie markt and DSV launch automated trucking pilot in Germany (Photo: Business Wire)

The program serves to demonstrate that state-of-the-art automated driving technology can already be used today to enhance freight transportation and make trucking safer, less stressful, more efficient, and more sustainable. Customer deployments have already shown that Plus’s driver-in solution, PlusDrive, can help reduce total cost of ownership (TCO) for fleets and improve driver job satisfaction.

“For us at dm, our automated trucking pilot is a groundbreaking and important step towards sustainable logistics. The technology can make a significant contribution to the comfort and safety of drivers and ensure that our supply chains run more smoothly and reliably,” said Christian Bodi, the dm Managing Director responsible for logistics. “Together with our partners, we want to use this innovative project to gather insights into the potential impact of highly automated trucks on operations for dm.”

“Sustainability is a shared value between our organizations. At DSV, we are defining our path towards becoming net-zero by 2050, and we are committed to supporting our partners and playing a role in the green transition of our industry and societies at large. The green transition requires new and innovative technologies, and we are always ready to take part in innovative projects like this - especially with our valued partner dm,” explained Jens Bjørn Andersen, Group CEO, DSV.

“Automation is a driving force to let the transport industry evolve towards new safety and efficiency frontiers. We are delighted that DSV and dm recognize the transformative potential of our highly automated trucks. Their collaboration with IVECO and Plus on this pilot will further advance the understanding of this technology at scale and represents a milestone for the concrete deployment of autonomous driving production series,” said Marco Liccardo, Chief Technology & Digital Officer, Iveco Group.

Shawn Kerrigan, COO and Co-Founder at Plus, said: “Trucking is an essential but challenging job. Plus’s suite of software solutions, from the driver-in to the self-driving system, is designed to support different needs and use cases. Our collaboration with dm, DSV and IVECO will accelerate the commercial deployment of our autonomous driving technology at scale and help realize our shared vision for a safer and greener future.”

About dm-drogerie markt

More than 70,000 people work at dm-drogerie markt in more than 4,000 stores across Europe. In the current 14 European countries, dm generated sales of 13.6 billion euros in the 2021/2022 financial year. In the last financial year 2021/2022, around 46,000 dm employees in Germany generated sales of 9.9 billion euros. dm was once again voted the most popular drugstore by customers in the 2023 Kundenmonitor survey. dm is constantly working to improve processes within the company and to live up to its responsibility for sustainable development. You can gain an insight into the diverse sustainability activities in the various areas in our “Report on sustainability” at www.dm.de/Nachhaltigkeitsbericht.

About DSV

DSV A/S is a global transportation and logistics service provider headquartered in Hedehusene (Denmark), offering professional total solutions for all services in modern transportation and warehouse logistics. With its own branches and offices, DSV is active in more than 80 countries and six continents.

About IVECO

IVECO is the brand of Iveco Group N.V. (EXM: IVG) that designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of light, medium and heavy commercial vehicles, off-road trucks and vehicles suitable for any body type.

It constantly innovates and extends its product portfolio to provide every customer with the vehicle that matches their mission precisely. Its full-line offer is designed around the Driver’s needs to deliver an excellent experience with a focus on safety and comfort. A wide range of advanced digital, connectivity-enabled services developed to help fleet owners run their fleet efficiently enhance IVECO’s complete transport solution.

IVECO pursues its decarbonization strategy through a multi-energy approach that includes the further development of bio-methane, battery electric and fuel cell technologies.

IVECO operates 6 manufacturing plants and 7 research and development centres. It counts on 3,500 sales and service points in over 160 countries, which guarantee technical support wherever an IVECO vehicle is at work.

IVECO drives the road of change by powering the transformation of the transport industry, propelled by the ambition to be the most reliable partner and full-line player for its customers.

About Plus

Plus is a global provider of autonomous driving technology with headquarters in Silicon Valley, California and operations in the U.S., Europe and Australia. Named by Forbes as one of America’s Best Startup Employers and by Fast Company as one of the World’s Most Innovative Companies, Plus’s open autonomy technology platform is already powering vehicles in commercial use today. Partnered with leading Tier 1 automotive suppliers, vehicle manufacturers, fleets, infrastructure operators, and other technology companies globally, including Bosch, DSV, IVECO, Luminar, Nikola, Transurban and others, Plus is working to make driving safer, more comfortable, and more sustainable. Plus has received a number of industry awards and distinctions for its transformative technology and business momentum from Fast Company, Forbes, FreightWaves, Insider, Consumer Electronics Show, AUVSI, and others. For more information, visit www.plus.ai.

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