Walmart Will Test Driverless Deliveries In Scottsdale

SCOTTSDALE, AZ — Scottsdale roads are about to become crowded with self-driving cars.

Retail giant Walmart announced Tuesday that it will test driverless delivery cars in the city after partnering with self-driving car company Cruise Automation.

Tom Ward, the senior vice president of customer product for Walmart, said in a blog post that the partnership will better serve the company's customers get items quickly and sustainably.

"What’s unique about Cruise is they’re the only self-driving car company to operate an entire fleet of all-electric vehicles powered with 100% renewable energy, which supports our road to zero emissions by 2040," he wrote.

The test is set to begin early next year, according to Ward. Customers will simply place an order online and have it delivered contact-free in an electric, self-driving car.

Walmart started an express delivery service in April, which is now in over 2,800 stores.

You’ve seen us test drive with self-driving cars in the past, and we’re continuing to learn a lot about how they can shape the future of retail," Ward continued in his blog. "We’re excited to add Cruise to our lineup of autonomous vehicle pilots as we continue to chart a whole new roadmap for retail."

Cruise is a subsidiary of General Motors. Waymo, owned by Google's parent company Alphabet Inc., also has a large fleet of self-driving cars in the Phoenix area. It began offering driverless taxes to East Valley residents in October. A 2018 self-driving car accident in Tempe also made national headlines when a pedestrian died while Uber was testing driverless rides.

The Associated Press contributed to this reporting.