CLIENT

Udelv, founded just last year in Burlingame, CA, is a startup focused on revolutionizing delivery services. Udelv was interested in bringing their engaging industrial design to life — safely and reliably.

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CHALLENGE

Udelv needed to prove the viability of their design and software in a real commercial application. Thinking through a real market application of the udelv delivery vehicle, we needed to maximize cargo capacity while minimizing weight, all to allow for the most efficient delivery per unit. All of this needed to be achieved in an intuitive user interface on the cargo area, and on a compressed timeline during the holiday season.

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MOTIVO’S SOLUTION

A positive user experience was the primary concern. Balancing safety, intuitive operation, durable and responsive controls against security of the user and goods created a unique challenge. The compressed schedule during an already busy time of year created additional constraints to realizing this balance.

 

To manage these competing needs we created 18 individually addressable compartments of 4 sizes to address varying shipment sizes and needs. Each compartment contains a sensor to recognize when the user has picked up their items. To keep the structure light and allow for the greatest cargo load, the substructure was made of aluminum and the floor of the compartments was made of composite paneling. In total, the cargo space ended up being less than 25% of the gross vehicle weight.

 

For the users, we created a programmable LED compartment, helping identify which compartment contained their shipment. Each door had a custom hinge mechanism with safe open/close actuation to ensure safe utilization.

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OUTCOME

With a total project timeline of 12 weeks, udelv had their vision a reality at their offices. The final system was fully functional, roadworthy, ready for fleet production, and best of all, made a huge splash at their launch event.