DC Velocity - September 2019

24 DC VELOCITY SEPTEMBER 2019 www.dcvelocity.com t h o u g ht l ea d ers

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lion grant from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). That is enabling us, with Seattle and Bellevue as our partners, to run a much larger pilot test.

As for what that larger pilot will entail, one thing we’re going to do is place occupancy sensors in every one of the loading spaces in an eight-block area in downtown Seattle and right in the downtown core of Bellevue. Our partner on the project, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, will collect and analyze data from those sensors and then use machine learning to notify drivers in real time via their smartphones which spaces are open. And in fairly short order, using the app, they will be able to see with high probability which spaces are about to open up. That is strategy number one of the DOE grant—to assist drivers in making the most efficient parking choice they can.

For another part of the project, we’ll be placing more of those common lockers on curbs in the public right of way. We are going to do that right next to transit stops, bus stops, or train stations.

QCould you tell us more about the next phase of your locker pilot program?

AYes. As I mentioned, we ran a proof of concept in a Seattle municipal tower about a year and a half ago. We
are now expanding that in an eight-block area, and we will
have potentially three or four of the locker stations.

We also want to expand and test temperature-controlled lockers. There is so much demand for food deliveries, whether it’s groceries or prepared food. The big question in food is whether the customer will prefer to have it come right to them or be willing to go to a locker, where you’d have more delivery density. I’m sure that is going to vary based on population, on market, and on density. For example, there is a fairly good-sized senior center in our pilot test area, so I would guess that having temperature control for medications might be good, but we don’t know that. That’s why a lot of our work is running these real-world pilots. We get actual evidence about the conditions under which programs are likely to succeed or fail. And because we are academics, we are cool with failure.

QHow will the lockers work?

AThe locker technology is pretty good, so we won’t be testing the technology itself. It is really more about market use and acceptance. What happens is, you need to sign up. And then when you order something, you enter the locker address as the delivery address. As soon as your order is placed in that locker, you’ll get a text or an email notifying you that it’s ready for pickup.