Poste Italiane aims to explore the use of autonomous trucks through an independent project. To bring this vision to life, the company launched a €600,000 tender for the design and construction of an autonomous vehicle dedicated to last-mile delivery. This initiative is part of Mission 4 of Italy’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan (Pnrr). On August 28, 2024, the postal company announced that the contract had been awarded to Icona Design Group, with a 12-month timeline and the option to subcontract 40% of the work. No technical details about the vehicle have been disclosed.
Icona Design Group is an Italian design firm founded in 2010 in Turin by experienced entrepreneurs from the automotive sector. Initially focused on transportation design, the company has since expanded into other fields. Icona boasts a global team of designers, modelers, engineers, and project managers from various nationalities and operates in Turin, Shanghai, Los Angeles, and Tokyo. In the transportation sector, Icona has contributed to projects like the Microlino vehicle and the interiors for the Hyperloop TT train.
In the e-commerce sector, Poste Italiane has announced the installation of the first of 10,000 automated delivery lockers in Rome by Locker Italia, a joint venture with DHL eCommerce. The lockers will be operational 24/7 and accessible via a touchscreen interface. Installation will continue progressively across Italy. The new venture aims to become the leading provider of locker services in the country.
