Ingka Investments put nearly $16.5 million into location technology from What3words to improve urban deliveries in cities. The What3words solution is also expected to provide accuracy for new delivery by drones and autonomous vehicles. The system enables specifying a precise location such as a side door or utility entrance, which is valuable for deliveries.
Ingka owns and operates 389 Ikea stores and e-commerce activities in 32 countries.
What3words has created a solution for inaccurate addressing — which Ingka describes as an issue in developing and developed countries — by dividing the world into a grid of 3-meter squares and giving each square a combination of three words: a what3words address.
For example, ///filled.count.soap will take you to the exact front door to what3words’ London office.
Ingka says highly accurate location information will improve the success of first-time deliveries, reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and vehicles on the road.
Krister Mattsson, managing director of Ingka, says: “We see value in helping to support the build-up of a universal addressing system that can lead to better customer experience, while the precise locations will allow for a reduction in overall miles travelled, reducing the carbon footprint of home deliveries.”
