Loxo Chooses Aeva to Equip Autonomous Delivery Vehicles
Aeva , a global pioneer in next-generation sensing and perception systems, today announced a strategic partnership with Swiss urban autonomy software leader Loxo. Loxo has chosen Aeva’s cutting-edge long-range 4D LiDAR technology to enhance its autonomous delivery vehicle platform, Digital Driver. This collaboration begins with the integration of Aeva Atlas™, Aeva’s flagship 4D LiDAR sensor, into Loxo’s fleet of autonomous delivery vehicles designed for middle-mile and last-mile logistics.
Revolutionizing Autonomous Delivery with High-Precision Sensing
As urban centers worldwide continue to demand faster, safer, and more scalable delivery solutions, the role of autonomous vehicles in logistics has never been more crucial. Loxo’s Digital Driver platform aims to revolutionize the delivery landscape by enabling vehicles to navigate complex urban and suburban environments autonomously. Central to achieving this goal is the capability to perceive the environment with unmatched precision and reliability.
Loxo’s choice of Aeva’s Atlas sensor is rooted in the need for advanced perception technology that can reliably detect obstacles, identify road users, and track moving objects — all in real-time and under diverse environmental conditions. The integration of Aeva’s 4D LiDAR technology brings several key advantages that will empower Loxo’s autonomous fleet:
- High-Resolution, Long-Range Detection: Aeva Atlas delivers highly detailed sensing at distances up to 500 meters. This extended range is critical for early detection of potential hazards and enables the vehicle to plan smoother, safer routes well ahead of time.
- Dynamic Object Detection and Tracking: Unlike traditional sensors, Aeva’s technology can detect and track moving objects, accurately measuring their position and velocity with centimeter-level precision. This allows Loxo vehicles to anticipate movements of pedestrians, cyclists, other vehicles, and dynamic obstacles.
- Robustness in Challenging Conditions: Urban delivery vehicles must operate reliably regardless of weather. Aeva’s sensors maintain consistent performance through rain, snow, fog, and dust, ensuring safe operation around the clock.
- Vehicle Motion Estimation and Localization: One of Aeva’s standout capabilities is providing instant velocity data for accurate vehicle localization — even in environments where GPS signals are unreliable or odometry data is inconsistent, such as tunnels or dense urban canyons. This feature supports a vehicle-agnostic approach, enabling Loxo’s software to function across diverse vehicle platforms seamlessly.
Loxo’s Perspective on the Partnership
Claudio Panizza, Co-founder and CTO of Loxo, highlighted the critical role that Aeva’s sensing technology plays in the evolution of their autonomous driving platform. “Aeva’s 4D LiDAR provides the high-fidelity, real-time data our Digital Driver needs to operate safely and effectively across a wide range of conditions and vehicle types,” Panizza explained. “Their instant velocity data is especially valuable for maintaining localization when traditional sensors fall short, which helps us ensure our vehicles are ready for real-world deployment.”
Panizza emphasized that in urban logistics, the ability to maintain accurate positioning and perception under any circumstance is non-negotiable. The combination of Loxo’s sophisticated autonomy software with Aeva’s advanced sensor suite creates a robust solution engineered to meet the rigorous demands of last-mile delivery.
Aeva’s Commitment to Autonomous Innovation
James Byun, Managing Director of Business Development at Aeva, expressed enthusiasm about supporting Loxo’s mission. “Loxo is building a flexible and scalable platform for autonomous goods delivery, and we’re proud to support their efforts with our unique 4D LiDAR technology,” Byun said. “Aeva sensors offer capabilities that go beyond traditional sensing, helping Loxo navigate safely and confidently in any environment.”
Byun noted that Aeva’s technology sets a new benchmark for autonomous sensing by combining high-resolution spatial data with velocity information in a single sensor. This fusion of data types enables autonomous systems to gain a comprehensive understanding of their surroundings and react quickly and accurately to dynamic changes.
The Technology Behind Aeva Atlas
At the heart of this partnership is the Aeva Atlas sensor, a revolutionary 4D LiDAR unit that captures not only spatial dimensions (X, Y, Z) but also velocity (the fourth dimension). This innovation allows autonomous vehicles to differentiate between stationary and moving objects seamlessly, which is essential for safe navigation in complex, real-world environments.
Traditional LiDAR sensors rely solely on point cloud data representing distances to objects but cannot directly measure object speed. Aeva’s 4D LiDAR integrates frequency modulated continuous wave (FMCW) technology to measure Doppler shifts, enabling real-time velocity measurement with exceptional accuracy.
This capability reduces the computational load on the vehicle’s processing systems, allowing faster decision-making and improving reaction times. It also enhances the robustness of object tracking algorithms, making the vehicle’s perception system more reliable under all circumstances.
Why This Partnership Matters for Autonomous Logistics
The logistics industry faces mounting pressure to innovate amid rising e-commerce demands, urban congestion, and the need for sustainable delivery solutions. Autonomous vehicles promise to address these challenges by reducing delivery times, cutting operational costs, and minimizing environmental impact.
However, deploying autonomous delivery vehicles at scale requires overcoming substantial technical hurdles, particularly in sensing and perception. Autonomous vehicles must operate safely in densely populated areas filled with pedestrians, cyclists, pets, and unpredictable obstacles.
By integrating Aeva’s 4D LiDAR technology, Loxo enhances its autonomous system’s ability to perceive the environment accurately and respond effectively. The ability to operate reliably in varied weather and lighting conditions further ensures continuity of service, a crucial factor for commercial adoption.
Moreover, the vehicle-agnostic nature of Aeva’s sensors aligns well with Loxo’s flexible platform strategy, allowing them to deploy their Digital Driver software across multiple vehicle types and sizes. This versatility opens doors for partnerships with various delivery vehicle manufacturers and service providers.
Scaling Autonomous Delivery Across Europe and Beyond
The partnership between Aeva and Loxo represents a significant milestone in advancing autonomous delivery technology not only within Switzerland but across the broader European market. Urban centers across Europe are actively exploring autonomous delivery solutions to improve urban mobility and sustainability.
Loxo’s platform, powered by Aeva’s sensing technology, is well-positioned to meet this growing demand. The deployment of Aeva Atlas sensors across Loxo’s delivery fleet will enable real-world testing and refinement of the system in complex urban environments, paving the way for commercial rollouts.
The collaboration also signals a broader trend within the autonomous vehicle industry towards integrating advanced sensor technologies that combine spatial and velocity data, setting new standards for safety and operational reliability.
As autonomous delivery moves from pilot projects to commercial deployments, partnerships like that of Aeva and Loxo will play a critical role in shaping the future of urban logistics. By combining Loxo’s innovative autonomy software with Aeva’s state-of-the-art 4D LiDAR sensors, the companies are advancing the capabilities of delivery vehicles to operate safely, efficiently, and reliably in real-world conditions.
This collaboration not only strengthens the technological foundation for scalable autonomous delivery but also exemplifies the kind of cross-industry cooperation necessary to bring these transformative solutions to market. With Aeva’s sensing prowess and Loxo’s software expertise, the future of autonomous delivery vehicles looks increasingly promising — smarter, safer, and ready to meet the demands of tomorrow’s cities.