For some Walmart customers,Secret Confessions: Tubong Lugaw Episode 47 online shopping will soon come with an autonomous twist.

The retailer will be partnering with Ford and its self-driving unit, Argo AI, to drop off deliveries to customers' homes in Miami, Austin, and Washington, D.C.

Argo AI has been testing its autonomous vehicles in those cities already, but in the coming months it'll drop off groceries and other supplies customers buy through the Walmart app or website. Autonomous delivery pricing will be the same as Walmart's normal delivery fees.


You May Also Like

Instead of the usual delivery method in a human-powered vehicle, items will be transported in a self-driving car (with a safety driver up front still). Customers will retrieve bags from the car once it arrives.

Mashable Light Speed Want more out-of-this world tech, space and science stories? Sign up for Mashable's weekly Light Speed newsletter. By clicking Sign Me Up, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Thanks for signing up!

The car is noticeably marked as autonomous, if the sensors and equipment didn't give it away.

Via Giphy

An initial service area in each city will kick off later this year, with plans to eventually expand to a bigger coverage zone if all goes well. Ford and Walmart claim this could improve same-day delivery expectations (definitely set by Amazon with its Prime subscription plan).

SEE ALSO: Ford self-driving cars shift from pizza delivery to Walmart order pickup

Argo AI isn't entirely new to on-demand delivery. Its parent company Ford has delivered Domino's pizza orders in autonomous vehicles in the past, and even collaborated with delivery app Postmates to bring Walmart orders to Miami-area shoppers.

Argo AI is also on the roads in Pittsburgh, Detroit, and Palo Alto, California, but won't be offering any delivery services in those cities. Even if Argo AI has experience in the autonomous delivery space, it hasn't started a passenger service yet. It's supposed to offer rides with Lyft in Miami by the end of the year and then later in Austin in 2022. Until then that you'll have to look to Alphabet-owned Waymo, but only in Phoenix and San Francisco.

Author

Editorial Team

Our editorial team is dedicated to delivering accurate, timely, and engaging content. With expertise across various domains, we strive to inform and inspire our readers.