DPD has announced it is expanding its autonomous deliveries to 10 new UK towns and cities over the next year.

The move follows a successful trial by the parcel delivery business in Milton Keynes.

The first new location to welcome the company’s parcel delivery service will be in Raunds, Northamptonshire.

"The trial in Milton Keynes has been a huge success for us,” said Tim Jones, director of marketing, communications and sustainability, DPD Group UK. “The robots have exceeded our expectations, and the feedback has been fantastic."

DPD first launched the Cartken-made robots in Milton Keynes in July 2022. Since then, they have travelled nearly 500 miles and performed over 2,500 trips delivering parcels to DPD customers in the area.

The robots delivering in Raunds will be based at Warth Park, delivering to nearby residential areas within a mile of the depot.

In Raunds, the robots will have three separate parcel compartments, instead of just one in the original trial, and an extended battery life of up to 12 hours.

Customers in the area will be notified of a robot delivery in advance, and once they confirm that they are at home to accept the parcel, the robot will be dispatched.

They will then be able to track the robot's progress on a map and are notified when it reaches their property.

After this, they use a code to open the secure compartment and access their parcel. Once the compartment is closed, the robot will either continue to its next delivery or return to the depot.

"We are delighted that DPD is introducing delivery robots in Raunds," said Cllr Graham Lawman, North Northamptonshire Council's executive member for highways, travel and assets. "The council is committed to the environment and supporting clean and green alternatives to traditional forms of transport to reduce emissions. It is great to be able to help bring this innovation to North Northamptonshire."

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