They’re moving fast: Lara Amini, Amin Amini, and Claudio Panizza founded their startup Loxo in 2021. Today, the company is among Europe’s most exciting logistics pioneers, working with partners such as Planzer, Amag, and Migros.
Loxo first made headlines in 2023 with the Loxo Alpha, Switzerland’s first fully automated vehicle. It transported goods between Migros in the Mall of Switzerland and the Schindler Campus in Ebikon — always under the watchful eyes of the Federal Roads Office (FEDRO). The positive results paved the way for the next chapter: Mathilde, a converted VW ID. Buzz that now roams the streets of Bern on her own.
The project became reality thanks to Loxo’s close collaboration with Planzer, a long-established logistics company known for embracing innovation. As early as 2014, Planzer was among the first in Switzerland to put an electric truck into operation. For Nils Planzer, this pilot project is the logical next step: «Together with Loxo, we want to lay the foundation for sustainable, data-driven urban logistics.»
But how does a young startup achieve what even tech giants have not – securing an exemption for highly automated operation on Swiss public roads? During our visit to Bern, we asked co-founder Lara Amini exactly that. «Certification is always the biggest challenge in such projects,» she explains.
That’s where Loxo’s expertise comes into play. The team has deep knowledge of European safety standards. Claudio contributes his experience as a safety engineer, while Amin brings his background as co-founder of CertX and co-author of ISO safety standards and Swiss regulations for highly automated driving. According to Lara, the cooperation with ASTRA has been «open-minded yet consistently goal-oriented.»
Since her maiden voyage in September 2024, Mathilde has become an integral part of Bern’s inner-city logistics. Every day, the ID. Buzz transports swap boxes filled with parcels from the Planzer rail hub on Murtenstrasse to various transfer points downtown.
There, the boxes – developed together with Kyburz – are transferred to electric trikes and delivered by Planzer’s drivers directly to customers’ doors. The result: near-zero-emission parcel delivery.
But Mathilde also benefits Planzer’s drivers. With less time spent on shuttling goods, they can focus more on customer interaction – something the family-owned company values highly.
Mathilde Rolls Through Bern; Lara Amini and Claudio Panizza; Loxo Engineer at Work.
Planzer thus counters a common criticism – that AI systems destroy jobs. After all, public acceptance of sharing roads with autonomous vehicles will ultimately determine whether such projects succeed.
That’s why the University of St. Gallen (HSG) is studying public perception throughout the two-year pilot – examining how people react to Mathilde and what concerns they might have about autonomous mobility.
So far, everything is going according to plan. Even Federal Councillor Albert Rösti said in an interview that he would gladly hop on board the Loxo bus. Behind Mathilde’s smooth and safe operation lies not only software, but also robust hardware – including AI-capable vehicle computers and sensors such as cameras, lidar, and radar. For this, Loxo relies on experienced hardware partners like Syslogic.
Syslogic supplied the AI-powered vehicle computer for Mathilde. Loxo CTO Claudio Panizza explains: «The Syslogic computer coordinates system startup and shutdown, supports sensor synchronization and monitoring, and enables remote assistance in unexpected situations.» Loxo chose Syslogic not only because of its expertise in mobile embedded systems, but also due to its geographic proximity.
«During the design phase, our developers and Syslogic engineers worked closely together,» Claudio says. «That closeness was crucial. This project only came to life because all partners collaborated with the precision and purpose you’d expect in Switzerland.»
Following the successful launch in Bern, another pilot project is already on the horizon – this time outside Switzerland. A few weeks ago, German authorities visited to see Mathilde in action – and she impressed them across the board. The enthusiasm is palpable during our visit: in Loxo’s workshop in Fribourg, a second ID. Buzz, already carrying its German license plate, is getting its final touches. The new vehicle will feature the same proven technology as Mathilde – including another AI vehicle computer from Syslogic.
Syslogic CEO Raphael Binder shares his excitement: «It always makes me proud to see our embedded systems used in such groundbreaking projects. Loxo shares our belief in using technology and passion to make the world a little better. I’m looking forward to continuing this great partnership.»
At Loxo, the sentiment is mutual. Before we leave, Claudio hints at what’s next: «We’re already far along with our next project – another highly automated vehicle for urban use, though this time not for logistics.» We’ll definitely be keeping an eye on the trio’s journey — and we’re already curious to see what they’ll come up with next.
