Walmart uses Argo AI for driverless deliveries in three cities

After several years of successful pilot operations, Walmart is finally ready to launch its driverless delivery service.

The service will launch later this year, initially in Austin, Miami, and Washington, D.C., using a Ford Escape controlled by the Argo AI automated driving system. The system, which ranks at Level 4 on the SAE scale of automated driving capability, uses a combination of multiple sensors for guidance, with cameras and lidar as the primary ones.

Walmart customers order items online, and Walmart staff then place the items in the back of a self-driving vehicle. The vehicle then drives to the customer's home and sends notifications to their smartphone using Argo AI's cloud-based infrastructure.

This service is available to customers within a defined service area in each of the first three cities. These service areas will be expanded over time to include more cities.

Argo AI is also testing self-driving vehicles in Detroit, Palo Alto, and Pittsburgh, meaning that Wal-Mart's service could be expanded to these cities next. According to Argo AI, its self-driving cars will also be added to Miami's Lyft network by the end of the year, and Lyft users will soon be able to ride in self-driving cars.

Walmart has previously worked with Argo AI rivals Waymo and Cruise to test driverless delivery. The retailer is also investing in Cruise with an eye toward using its technology for driverless delivery.