Walmart’s Self-Driving Partner Is Changing E-Commerce
Economics
Economics
Delivery startup Gatik was perfectly positioned for a
pandemic.
pandemic.
By Kyle Stock
June 19, 2020, 12:00 PM GMT+1
For a self-driving vehicle startup, Gatik has an odd mantra:
don’t agonize over autonomy, worry about delivery.
don’t agonize over autonomy, worry about delivery.
Specifically, the three-year-old company is focused on
so-called middle-mile delivery, the oft-overlooked leg between when, say, a
sweater is trucked across the country and when it is ferried over the last few
miles and dropped on someone’s porch. For three years now, Gatik has been
strapping sensors all over vans and small trucks and moving groceries from
large distribution centers to small warehouses, albeit with a human back-up
driver aboard.
so-called middle-mile delivery, the oft-overlooked leg between when, say, a
sweater is trucked across the country and when it is ferried over the last few
miles and dropped on someone’s porch. For three years now, Gatik has been
strapping sensors all over vans and small trucks and moving groceries from
large distribution centers to small warehouses, albeit with a human back-up
driver aboard.
In a world of moon-shot technology, billion-dollar capital
rounds and promises to disrupt private (and public) transportation as we know
it, Gatik’s ambition is humble. Last summer, it raised $4.5 million from
investors, a pint-sized sum among self-driving ventures. Though Gatik may not
be sexy, its slow-lane approach has proved to be pragmatic and lucrative. Last
summer, Walmart signed on as one of its first customers.
rounds and promises to disrupt private (and public) transportation as we know
it, Gatik’s ambition is humble. Last summer, it raised $4.5 million from
investors, a pint-sized sum among self-driving ventures. Though Gatik may not
be sexy, its slow-lane approach has proved to be pragmatic and lucrative. Last
summer, Walmart signed on as one of its first customers.
It turns out grocery delivery wasn’t a bad place to be when
the pandemic broke out. We caught up with CEO and co-founder Gautam Narang, an
alum of Carnegie Mellon’s robotics program, to get a state-of-play on one of
the smallest, savviest players in the critical space where transportation meets
retail. (The interview was edited.)
the pandemic broke out. We caught up with CEO and co-founder Gautam Narang, an
alum of Carnegie Mellon’s robotics program, to get a state-of-play on one of
the smallest, savviest players in the critical space where transportation meets
retail. (The interview was edited.)
Why focus on middle-mile?
It’s easier. We operate between fixed locations. We
over-optimize the technology to focus on these routes. Some of the edge cases
are reduced because we know the routes so intimately; we know the drive
patterns. Because of all this, the go-to-market time is faster.
over-optimize the technology to focus on these routes. Some of the edge cases
are reduced because we know the routes so intimately; we know the drive
patterns. Because of all this, the go-to-market time is faster.
What’s the technology?
Do your vehicles go on the interstate?
Some routes do involve highway driving, but our expertise is
in complex urban areas. We do not do the literal last mile but we do similar
driving. It’s the structured autonomy approach; we have the luxury of choosing
these routes. One of the things we do is mostly right turns. When we use these
constraints, we don’t have to worry about changing multiple lanes, we don’t
have to solve for unpredicted left turns, which the whole industry is
struggling with. We always say ‘We are solving the middle-mile problem, not
really the autonomy problem.’
in complex urban areas. We do not do the literal last mile but we do similar
driving. It’s the structured autonomy approach; we have the luxury of choosing
these routes. One of the things we do is mostly right turns. When we use these
constraints, we don’t have to worry about changing multiple lanes, we don’t
have to solve for unpredicted left turns, which the whole industry is
struggling with. We always say ‘We are solving the middle-mile problem, not
really the autonomy problem.’
How long do you spend developing a new route?
Right now, it’s four to six weeks. We drive around for two
or three weeks and collect all the relevant data, and it’s all very specific to
the route. We’re trying to cut that down by 50%.
or three weeks and collect all the relevant data, and it’s all very specific to
the route. We’re trying to cut that down by 50%.
So for every retailer, except maybe Amazon, this levels the
playing field and changes the economics of e-commerce?
playing field and changes the economics of e-commerce?
Well, I can’t comment on Amazon supply chain, but this is
happening across the industry. The whole idea is let’s get close to the
customer. Let’s shrink that delivery window.
happening across the industry. The whole idea is let’s get close to the
customer. Let’s shrink that delivery window.
Tell me about the Walmart deal.
Everything from the first meeting to the signing of the
contract happened in a matter of months. They knew what their bottleneck was.
We deployed at their headquarters in July last year. Our vehicles are running 7
days a week for them, 10 to 12 hours a day.
contract happened in a matter of months. They knew what their bottleneck was.
We deployed at their headquarters in July last year. Our vehicles are running 7
days a week for them, 10 to 12 hours a day.
Who are you competing against?
In terms of dire competitors, there are none. No other
company in the AV space is using box-truck architecture. Other companies are
going after B-2-C and the long-haul. But if you’re going after general autonomy
problems, you’re trying to boil the ocean. Level four autonomy is at least 4 to
5 years out and level 5—if it’s even possible—is at least 10 years out. With
structured autonomy we can avoid schools, hospitals, fire stations, blind
curves, etc. All of that is fair game. The timelines are very different, because
we don’t really worry about the autonomy problem. We don’t care if unpredicted
left turns are solved, for example.
company in the AV space is using box-truck architecture. Other companies are
going after B-2-C and the long-haul. But if you’re going after general autonomy
problems, you’re trying to boil the ocean. Level four autonomy is at least 4 to
5 years out and level 5—if it’s even possible—is at least 10 years out. With
structured autonomy we can avoid schools, hospitals, fire stations, blind
curves, etc. All of that is fair game. The timelines are very different, because
we don’t really worry about the autonomy problem. We don’t care if unpredicted
left turns are solved, for example.
Have you targeted logistics and shipping companies like UPS
and FedEx?
and FedEx?
We have received a lot of interest from non-retail
customers, but for now we’ve decided to focus on the retailers, specifically on
the online grocery application. Promising a 1-hour or 2-hour delivery window is
not sustainable right now. They’re losing money on it and this is where Gatik
comes in.
customers, but for now we’ve decided to focus on the retailers, specifically on
the online grocery application. Promising a 1-hour or 2-hour delivery window is
not sustainable right now. They’re losing money on it and this is where Gatik
comes in.
Walk me through your response to the pandemic.
Our original focus was making sure our operations were
running smoothly. Since then, obviously we have seen a huge increase in number
of orders. We saw a 30-35% spike in the number of orders and a number of
inquiries. Our solution has become even more relevant; the key aspect is
contactless delivery.
running smoothly. Since then, obviously we have seen a huge increase in number
of orders. We saw a 30-35% spike in the number of orders and a number of
inquiries. Our solution has become even more relevant; the key aspect is
contactless delivery.
All of this is being driven by e-commerce and everything is
built around end consumers’ expectations. You want deliveries now and at the
cheapest possible price. In the old architecture you had the giant distribution
center and the deliveries used to happen once every 7 days, which isn’t fast
enough. The expectations have forced the retailer to move closer to the
customer and as you move closer the warehouse space shrinks. It’s a shift from
hub-and-spoke to point-to-point and there’s been an explosion of routes.
built around end consumers’ expectations. You want deliveries now and at the
cheapest possible price. In the old architecture you had the giant distribution
center and the deliveries used to happen once every 7 days, which isn’t fast
enough. The expectations have forced the retailer to move closer to the
customer and as you move closer the warehouse space shrinks. It’s a shift from
hub-and-spoke to point-to-point and there’s been an explosion of routes.
As of today, Gatik has done more than 18,000 autonomous
orders and these are revenue-generating orders. We have done more than 50,000
revenue-generating autonomous miles.
orders and these are revenue-generating orders. We have done more than 50,000
revenue-generating autonomous miles.
Any interest from sectors you hadn’t thought about?
We saw a huge interest from medical and pharma distribution
companies. Consumer electronics retail is something that we’ve seen a lot of
interest from as well. Specifically, this is from inventory smoothing and
inventory balancing. With COVID every company is rethinking their supply chain.
companies. Consumer electronics retail is something that we’ve seen a lot of
interest from as well. Specifically, this is from inventory smoothing and
inventory balancing. With COVID every company is rethinking their supply chain.
What’s your size and scale at the moment and are you
profitable ?
profitable ?
Over 20 employees and we’re looking to double team size this
year. We had a bit of a war-chest going into the COVID situation. Many
companies in our space are scaling back, but we’re actively hiring. At a
vehicle level, with one safety driver on board, we are profitable. Obviously,
at the company level we are not profitable yet.
year. We had a bit of a war-chest going into the COVID situation. Many
companies in our space are scaling back, but we’re actively hiring. At a
vehicle level, with one safety driver on board, we are profitable. Obviously,
at the company level we are not profitable yet.
How long until you can take the humans out of the vehicle?
Right now, we are focusing on areas that have favorable
conditions — sites that don’t have inclement weather. . …Definitely before a
B-2-C delivery application or a robo-taxi application, because they are really
trying to boil the ocean.
conditions — sites that don’t have inclement weather. . …Definitely before a
B-2-C delivery application or a robo-taxi application, because they are really
trying to boil the ocean.
So when the safety driver comes off, does the price change
or is it just extra margin?
or is it just extra margin?
It is extra margin, but once the driver comes off we’ll
increase the operating time. The whole-asset utilization piece when you don’t
have a person on board, becomes more real. It becomes easier to handle multiple
customers with one vehicle and do, for example, groceries during the day and
pharmaceutical or consumer electronics at night. Some of those savings we can
then extend to our customers as well.
increase the operating time. The whole-asset utilization piece when you don’t
have a person on board, becomes more real. It becomes easier to handle multiple
customers with one vehicle and do, for example, groceries during the day and
pharmaceutical or consumer electronics at night. Some of those savings we can
then extend to our customers as well.
Any concern that one of the leaders on autonomy will pivot
to fill the middle-mile space?
to fill the middle-mile space?
We expect that frankly. We’ve always called this a
no-brainer. But what will really help us is the kind of relationships we are
building with our customers. We are doing a lot more than just the driving
piece. At any given point, our vehicles are tracking everything and all of this
data is very useful to the retail customers. These are some of the value-adds
that our customers really need and this adds to the stickiness factor.
no-brainer. But what will really help us is the kind of relationships we are
building with our customers. We are doing a lot more than just the driving
piece. At any given point, our vehicles are tracking everything and all of this
data is very useful to the retail customers. These are some of the value-adds
that our customers really need and this adds to the stickiness factor.
No comments:
Post a Comment