The Estonian Startup Using Teleoperation to Deliver Driverless Last-Mile Deliveries - Clevon CEO Sander Sebastian Agur

Estonia's Clevon was founded in 2022 after a spin-off from Cleveron, a business offering last-mile click-and-collect pickup solutions. It was the first company in Europe to get the licence to operate on public roads with teleoperated vehicles.  

Today its robot couriers are already active in three European countries where it has permission to drive on public roads -  Estonia, Lithuania and Belgium. 

"Our team is working towards getting our autonomous robot carriers on roads in more countries," Clevon's CEO, Sander Sebastian Agur, tells Auto Futures.

In May, 2022, the company released a third-generation all-electric carrier, called CLEVON 1.

"It is a multifunctional delivery robot used for different business needs. Several top applications can be installed on the platform - for instance, a Cargobox, a MultiBox, a Mini Locker, a Speed Camera, etc. The vehicle can also be turned into a Flatbed Truck, a Mini Truck, a Recycling Vehicle etc.," he says.

The CLEVON 1 can be operated in autopilot mode in a suitably controlled environment and can perform a large number of general driving tasks autonomously, However, a remote teleoperator is always supervising it and can take over the control whenever needed. And it's this that sets Clevon apart from other driverless vehicle operators.

"The way to have autonomous driving on public roads today is teleoperation. Therefore, on public streets, CLEVON 1 is driven remotely today, but our teleoperation-first approach allows us to add autonomy levels step by step. When in the near future, vehicles will drive most of the time autonomously, we only need one teleoperator to supervise 5-10 vehicles simultaneously. Our smooth borderless teleoperation system enables the teleoperator to be hundreds and even thousands of kilometres apart from the vehicle," explains Agur.

"Teleoperators have a dedicated control station where they can drive with the vehicle. The control station has screens for all six cameras, a wheel, pedals, a chair, and all the necessary buttons to drive and manoeuvre safely with the vehicle." he adds.

For Clevon, safety is a major priority.

"We are raising the level of autonomy on public roads step by step. Moreover, Clevon will always have a person supervising all carriers, and the teleoperator can take over the control at any time to ensure the highest level of safety." 

New Technology For Old Towns

One of Clevon's main aims is to make last-mile delivery more sustainable.

"Imagine ordering a pizza. Today, your pizza weighing a few hundred grams will be delivered with a car made of one tonne of iron, which is not sustainable. Our third-generation robot, CLEVON 1, is all-electric and emission-free, and we aim to build it as energy-efficient and lightweight as possible," says Agur.

In the summer of 2022. Clevon started a collaboration with DHL Express Estonia. One of the aims of the pilot project is to demonstrate the necessity and benefits of the new courier solution for the historical Old Town area of Estonia's capital city, Tallinn.

"We deliver their internal and business clients’ packages in Tallinn, Estonia. We also did a pilot project with the City of Tallinn to deliver DHL Express Estonia business clients packages in Tallinn’s Old Town, a UNESCO heritage site with strict entry regulations for regular vans and cars. All-electric delivery solution CLEVON 1 is designed to navigate urban environments and old town narrow streets easily."

"If we want to improve the quality of life in the city centres and old towns, then a carrier such as CLEVON 1 is one of the possible solutions to help reduce emissions and noise pollution in the area," he notes.

Delivering Comfort And Time-Saving

Clevon has expanded into the North American market, and has opened its US headquarters in Fort Worth, Texas. It recently began delivering gourmet meals from O’Neill’s Inflight Catering to the private airplane community at Perot Field Fort Worth Alliance Airport. O’Neill’s kitchen operations are 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

"The United States, in general, is the market with the highest demand for last-mile deliveries, and it presents a perfect opportunity for Clevon to cater to market needs. We are working with our partners and communities to roll out our technology safely and efficiently. Our first operations hubs are based in Texas, and we will expand to other states in close collaboration with our customers and partners."

Finally, we quizzed Agur on what last-mile delivery wil be like by the end of the decade.

"By 2030 the last-mile delivery market will have adopted many automation solutions because of customer expectations for comfort and time-saving. The specific solutions will heavily depend on the type of goods carried and the time sensitivity. And you’ll have at least a few Clevons driving around in your neighbourhood!," he concludes.