A plain cargo box on four wheels just rolled into the spotlight at IAA Transportation in Hanover, and it has no place for a person to sit. Stellantis Pro One, working with Chinese autonomy specialist UQI Robotics, calls the project BOW. The letters stand for Box On Wheels, and the name is as straightforward as the machine itself.
Stellantis has stripped down its vehicle to the basic essentials, removing the windshield, dashboard, steering wheel, and whole interior. What you’re left with is an electric, driverless freight module aimed firmly at the logistics business, notably regions where goods need to be moved rapidly and reliably. The initial goals are the typical suspects, such as factories, hospitals, airports, and low-emission zones, where the vehicle can simply get on with the job without being hampered by mixed traffic. To demonstrate its capabilities and demonstrate how well this device can handle real-world logistical chores, the company is showcasing two BOW (Box on Wheels) modules at its exposition booth, one indoors and one outdoors.
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When this will be available, however, is yet unknown. Stellantis will first test it in Europe to see how it goes, after which it will consider expanding the concept worldwide. Because, as you might expect, Stellantis executives are more than a little apprehensive about how this will all function in practice. Now, you may think Stellantis and UQI Robotics, the Chinese robotics business that has deployed over 7,000 robots in towns and regions around the world, form an excellent alliance, and you’d be correct. They want to test if an electric platform, integrated services, and fleet tools can all work together to provide professional clients with a pleasant, seamless experience.
According to Eric Laforge, Global Senior Vice President at Stellantis Pro One, service providers want something more efficient and less complicated, which is exactly what BOW is attempting to do: transform a standard van with a seat in the front into a logistics platform.
The important thing to note here is that Stellantis isn’t making a big deal about how good or bad the technology they’re utilizing is; there is no information regarding battery size, range, payload, motor power, sensors, or anything like that. That informs us that Stellantis wants to know how the box functions in the real world, as well as if the accompanying services can maintain a fleet of them working smoothly.
The entire project is linked to Stellantis’ overarching FaSTLAne 2030 strategy, which places a strong emphasis on customer-centric technology and collaboration, and this is a key component of that. Interestingly, this release coincides with the launch of some new vans and a fleet management system named [NEXT] at the same expo, all as part of a larger connected ecosystem.
