IKEA's China division has started utilizing self-driving vehicles in Hefei to transport products from a nearby warehouse to the store. These robots are used for customers to pick up their orders and to replenish store shelves, the furniture giant announced on Monday.

The permanent integration of these electric vehicles follows a successful trial period where average customer wait times were cut by two-thirds, leading to an improved customer experience and increased worker efficiency.

IKEA is currently operating two automated mini-trucks manufactured by Neolix, according to a company spokesperson. The Swedish retailer collaborated with the manufacturer to test the robot vehicles, which successfully completed 47,000 miles of operation.

Customers experienced a significant reduction in average wait times for in-store pickup, dropping from six hours to just two. Concurrently, IKEA managed to decrease transportation costs by over 50%. The company is now assessing which other markets could benefit from this delivery model. Future implementations will also be contingent on favorable regulations and infrastructure for autonomous vehicles. In China, IKEA is also piloting autonomous deliveries directly to customer residences.