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Barcelona consolidates itself as a benchmark in urban innovation with the pilot test of the robot Ona, designed for package delivery in superblocks. This project is led by the Institute of Robotics and Industrial Informatics (IRI) of the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya – BarcelonaTech (UPC), in collaboration with CARNET and Vaivé Logistics. During this week, Ona will travel around the Cultural and Memory Center of Born (CCBorn), evaluating its effectiveness within the framework of the Botnet project, focused on reducing the environmental and acoustic impact of goods transportation.
The main objective of this initiative is to rethink the last-mile distribution model, responsible for 20% of traffic and 40% of emissions associated with transportation in Barcelona. Researchers are working on the development of autonomous vehicles that not only optimize navigation in dense urban environments but also ensure safe and efficient interaction with pedestrians.
Technology at the service of sustainable mobility
The project, led by the IRI (UPC-CSIC), is supported by the urban mobility innovation hub CARNET and backed by Vaivé Logistics, a UPC spin-off. Additionally, it has a grant of over 145,000 euros awarded by the Barcelona City Council and the “la Caixa” Foundation. This funding is part of a call aimed at promoting innovative solutions to urban challenges, such as sustainability and climate change.
Ángel Santamaria, a researcher at the IRI, explains: “These tests aim to validate an autonomous delivery model in streets with high population density. We want to analyze if, instead of vans, robots like Ona can be used to make deliveries from nearby distribution centers. Ona is an electric, silent, and people-friendly robot. We are in the final phase of the project, testing the algorithms that give it intelligence. In addition to evaluating its functionality, we want to study the social acceptance of this technology, while promoting a technological culture among citizens.”
Barcelona: an urban laboratory for the future
The Deputy Mayor for Economy, Finance, Economic Promotion, and Tourism, Jordi Valls, has emphasized the city's commitment to innovation: “We have an ecosystem of universities, research centers, and companies that deserve our support. We want to translate our scientific capacity into tangible improvements for social welfare and economic progress.”
The City Council's strategy seeks to turn Barcelona into an urban laboratory, where companies, entities, and organizations can test their products in real conditions with a positive social impact. This vision aligns with the Strategic Plan for Science and Innovation 2024-2027, which prioritizes knowledge transfer as a driver of economic and social development.
The project Ona exemplifies how applied research can respond to global challenges from a local perspective, promoting more sustainable mobility and an effective ecological transition.
