Autonomous Multimodal Last-Mile Delivery Systems

This dissertation explores the intersection of Last-Mile Delivery, Autonomous Vehicles, and Multimodal Transport, collectively referred to as Autonomous Multimodal Last-Mile Delivery. The research applies Operational Research techniques to assess the potential benefits of autonomous vehicles, such as drones and self-driving robots, in overcoming the challenges faced in last-mile delivery. The main objective is to explore how service providers can leverage multimodal delivery systems, integrating trucks, drones, and self-driving robots, to enhance efficiency.

This dissertation follows two main directions. The first involves designing delivery systems that address urban last-mile logistics challenges. This includes optimizing interactions between different vehicles and modeling these systems using Mixed-Integer Linear Programs (MILPs). The second direction is developing and analyzing optimization techniques tailored to solve the autonomous multimodal last-mile delivery problems introduced earlier.

Through this research, we provide valuable insights into the integration of autonomous vehicles in multimodal delivery systems, offering potential solutions for improving efficiency and addressing the complexities of last-mile delivery in urban environments.