Business model design for campus-based autonomous deliveries – A Swedish case study

Abstract

Autonomous deliveries are being tested on university campuses around the world, but the impact of such technology on the business models of freight service providers is poorly understood. Through interviews, workshops and site visits, this paper explores the potential impact of autonomous deliveries on the business model of a campus-based freight services provider and what potential general lessons can be learned. The results identify costs and benefits that are contingent on the type of resources and activities that the provider of the autonomous system incorporates in their service. While door-to-door deliveries of intermittent and low-volume batches to and from the depot or between local receivers were identified as attractive and feasible service segments, the realisation of a more valuable high-volume room-to-room service would require considerable investments at both the depot and the delivery points. To improve the quality of autonomous deliveries the investments need to target three principal barriers: access, capability, and acceptance. Willingness to make investments depend on the freight service provider's ability to present tangible benefits to stakeholders and generate sustainable customer value. To support a scalable business model, autonomous delivery services must be designed to minimise interference with stakeholders encountered in public spaces and at delivery spots.