Walmart teams with GM to test autonomous deliveries

DETROIT » Walmart is teaming up with the General Motors’ autonomous vehicle unit to test driverless delivery in Arizona.

The companies say battery powered Chevrolet Volt vehicles will begin deliveries in Scottsdale early next year. At first they’ll have human backup drivers who will monitor the cars and help to deliver packages to doors. But Ray Wert, spokesman at GM’s Cruise autonomous vehicle unit, says they’ll eventually move to fully autonomous deliveries. Walmart says customers will be able to place an order and it will be delivered contact-free by a Cruise vehicle. The retail giant says it’s one of several autonomous vehicle pilot projects designed to chart a new roadmap for retail sales.

The company says it started an express delivery service in April and now has it in over 2,800 stores that reach more than 65% of U.S. households.