A company that opened a North American headquarters in Fort Worth in October has now completed a delivery using a self-driving car. Clevon is based in Estonia and expanded into North America this fall.
"We celebrate a second coming, a new beginning, to bring the future of last-mile delivery to Texas and beyond," Chief Executive Sander Sebastian Agur said at the opening.
Clevon has now completed its first delivery in the United States using a self-driving car. The company says the car traveled 3.6 miles down the 35W frontage road and along Eagle Parkway to deliver in-flight meals from a catering service to Perot Field Fort Worth Alliance Airport.
"Clevon’s expansion into the North American market comes as the pressure from businesses and consumers to offer on-demand, same-day or next-day delivery of goods continues to skyrocket," Clevon wrote in a statement.
Clevon opened within AllianceTexas' "Mobility Innovation Zone," which sets goals for infrastructure and partnerships to advance technology.
Hillwood Properties says AllianceTexas now has 560 companies operating there and supports 66,000 jobs. H. Ross Perot Sr. donated 380 acres of land for the airport's construction in 1988.
"There was literally nothing here before they started," says Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker. "It took big dreams and risk. Importantly, that partnership among the city, the private sector and the Perot family helped make all this possible."
Parker says the area around Perot Field continues changing to adapt to new technology. She says the Mobility Innovation Zone gives the private sector a place where different companies can collaborate to develop the future of transportation.
"Hillwood and Alliance continue to evolve and be focused on what future jobs and the economy look like," she says. "It continues to be one of the world's largest cargo airports situated in our city. Importantly, they understand what the jobs of tomorrow look like. You can see the industry growth here."
Hillwood says the amount of cargo passing through Perot Field has increased 138% over the past three years. The airport has become the 20th largest cargo airport in the world.
Related
LISTEN on the Audacy App
Tell your Smart Speaker to "PLAY 1080 KRLD"
Sign Up and Follow NewsRadio 1080 KRLD