4. Innovations, new services and new professions

4.1 Urban freight tech through to drones and delivery robots

Urban logistics has become a highly innovative field. It is now referred to as "urban freight tech". Initiatives include the provision of alternatives to home deliveries, the collection of new data, autonomous and connected vehicles including drones, "smart" truck traffic management, and a whole range of clean urban logistics projects. They concern all urban areas, from Kigali to Buenos Aires, Paris or London.

A large number of European research projects have also developed around innovation in urban logistics. Certain technological developments are already having a growing impact on logistics. Connected objects (internet of things) can be tracked online so that they can be managed and ordered remotely,...