Walmart Inc., the world’s largest retailer, is looking to start delivering goods autonomously to customers, and it’s partnering with Pittsburgh-based autonomous vehicle (AV) company Argo AI and the Ford Motor Co. to do so.

When it launches as a pilot program in Austin, Texas, Miami and Washington, D.C. later this year, the new service will be the first in the nation that spans multiple cities, Argo AI said. The service will use modified Ford Escape vehicles equipped with Argo’s self-driving software and hardware to deliver goods and groceries to customers who request the service during checkout on Walmart.com.

And while Walmart’s inventory includes items of varying sizes, only those that can fit in the back portion of the vehicle will be able to be delivered autonomously as Argo will have safety drivers in the front seats of the vehicles.
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