VW Commercial Vehicles/Hermes: Faster Parcel Delivery with Viscopic Software

Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles has launched a pilot project with the CEP logistics provider Hermes to support parcel deliverers in their deliveries with a sorting system from the start-up Viscopic. The software solution from the Munich-based start-up first learns the local routes and then organizes the packages for the next delivery into a logical order for loading, aiming to save the driver the hassle of searching and sorting on the go.

"We initially divide the large shipment volume into small portions, each of which fits into a packing bag," explains CEO Felix Meißgeier of Viscopic.

These cuboid bags are then stowed in the Crafter transporter. According to Meißgeier, the sequence is crucial. Since the tours follow a similar pattern, the bags can also be loaded accordingly, he further outlines. The advantage for the driver: He sees in an associated app which bag contains which package for the respective next customer. Based on the van's GPS coordinates, the infotainment system of the vehicle and a handheld device display the bags containing the packages currently to be delivered nearby. This is supposed to save considerable time in finding packages at the delivery address, it is promised. But it's not just about saving time, it’s also about improving working conditions for the drivers, explains VW Commercial Vehicles project manager Artur Hasselbach.

"Parcel delivery is a very demanding task. Especially inner-city traffic requires full concentration, the stopping zones for our large vehicles are scarce, and particularly due to Corona and the associated safety measures that need to be upheld, the delivery process has become even more complex. Intelligent solutions like these for the last mile are highly interesting for our customers in the logistics sector," analyzes Hasselbach.

The digital support comes at the right time, as the growth of the sector is expected to continue according to the Parcel Shipping Index 2021. For the period up to 2026, the study forecasts an annual growth rate of at least six percent. In the Christmas season alone in 2020 (October to December), Hermes delivered the record amount of 126 million shipments in Germany. This corresponds to an increase of about 25 percent compared to the same period of the previous year. Following a record year for the courier, express, and parcel sector in Germany with an estimated volume of more than four billion parcels nationwide (source: "Parcel Shipping Index 2021," Pitney Bowes), the industry is now faced with the question of how to further optimize parcel delivery to customers.

In the Future Logistics Challenge by Hermes and the Hanover-based manufacturer, a competition for the most promising solutions on the topics of "Delivery Driver Experience" and "Smart Delivery Vehicles," Viscopic and another project stood out among 180 applications from all over Europe. The period until the end of March 2021 is focused on testing the efficiency gain and acceptance of the system in everyday life with various drivers at a site near Augsburg.