After approximately six months, the trial of autonomous delivery robots launched by REWE in the Hamburg-Barmbek district has concluded. The pilot project, which began in October 2025 in a limited urban area of the German city, is ending as planned after having gathered data and useful insights for the development of new delivery models in food retail.
During the testing phase, the small autonomous vehicles traveled a total of several thousand kilometers, also making thousands of deliveries. The robots, developed in collaboration with technology partner Starship Technologies, were deployed six days a week, serving the Barmbek area in particular, receiving a positive response from customers.
An analysis of deliveries shows that the most popular products were primarily fresh and consumer goods. Among the most ordered products were fruits and vegetables—particularly cucumbers, bananas, and red peppers—as well as beverages, milk and plant-based drinks, butter, bread, and eggs. The busiest times were concentrated in the late afternoon and early evening, while Saturday continued to be the day with the highest number of orders placed through the service.
According to Andreas Persigehl, President of REWE's Northern Region Management, the trial demonstrated that autonomous delivery solutions can actually work in everyday urban life. He also emphasized the role of the collaboration with the city of Hamburg, which he described as crucial in creating clear and favorable operating conditions for the development of new urban logistics services.
One of the key aspects that emerged from the project concerns the regulatory framework required for the large-scale use of delivery robots. The Hamburg Transport and Mobility Authority supported the project throughout the experimental phase, also supporting the definition of common rules for the use of autonomous vehicles for last-mile deliveries at the federal level.
With the completion of the operational phase, the period of analysis and evaluation of the results now begins. The focus will be on the technical processes, customer usage, and organizational aspects that emerged during the months of testing. The information gathered will guide potential future developments in the field of automated deliveries and innovative solutions for urban distribution.
