Self-driving cars that provide rides on demand are not very far from the reality of our roads. But it is likely that vehicles that deliver goods, rather than people, will arrive first. Automation is playing an increasingly important role in the retail sector, from stationery self-service systems to drones and small driverless vehicles on wheels. They are designed to be more rapid, safe and reliable for the delivery of our online shopping, takeaway pizza and food shopping. But how do these machines work? What is their potential? And what should we expect in the immediate future?
The technology of delivery robots
The new delivery systems combine specific mechanical properties with new kinds of artificial intelligence and robotics that are the result of cutting-edge developments such as the rovers exploring Mars and Google’s self-driving car.
Designed to travel over relatively short distances, the small robots on wheels are programmed to autonomously transport objects to a precise destination address, indicated by an operator when they set off: a bit like using a GPS navigation device. Alternatively, you can redirect the vehicle in real time with a remote control.
Moving at walking pace of around 5-6 kilometers an hour and passing pedestrians on sidewalks, cycle paths, industrial areas and building corridors, they are driven by electric battery motors. Using cameras and sensors, they recognize traffic signs and traffic lights, avoiding traffic, passers-by and obstacles along the way. A GPS keeps us constantly updated with their location (and adjusts the arrival time) and, for security, the content – which can weigh up to 100 kg – is well-sealed inside and is subsequently unlocked by the recipient using an app, PIN or voice recognition command to ensure against theft.
Delivery robot, a varied ecosystem
However, autonomous home delivery transport is not all the same. The most recent experiment is by Nuro, a Silicon Valley startup that recently presented the prototype of its vehicle to the public: a small SUV without windows or doors (naturally, there is no need), which is suitable for transporting shopping bags, takeaway food, office items, laundry from dry cleaners, gift packages and flowers. They have just managed to raise $92 dollars in funding in order to launch it on the market.
Other industry leaders are Starship Technologies, a company that has projects underway in at least 100 cities and collaborates with Wolt, a Finnish food delivery startup, and with Dominos for pizza home delivery. Meanwhile, e-Palette has the largest vehicle, which is the size of a van and can be customized inside depending on the needs of the company that uses it and, obviously, on the type of goods it transports.
Amazon is of course also a major player. The giant company is already operating tests for Prime Air, the delivery platform using unmanned aircraft, so-called drones, to deliver parcels within 30 minutes from the click to purchase. In addition, it recently filed a patent application for a new wheeled carrier, giving (if possible) even more impetus to the development of these vehicles.
A quick assessment
For companies, delivery robots could be a big advantage. A small vehicle that does not carry passengers means less building materials, no airbags, seat belts and comfort, factors that clearly lead to a reduction in cost. The use of these vehicles would also result in a decrease in city traffic and parking problems.
When it comes to safety, the debate is more complex. Certainly, the dilemma is not comparable to safety issues regarding self-driving cars for transporting passengers: during an emergency, robots must make a decision about whether to endanger the person on-board or a passer-by if one of the two options is unavoidable. In the case of goods transport, the dilemma obviously does not arise since the vehicle will be programmed to preserve at all costs what lies outside it, rather than the object that it is transporting. But this does not mean that there are no risks and many tests for the management of this type of traffic are still underway.
We should also ask whether and to what extent consumers are receptive to these developments. In the lead-up to the launch of the first products, the public is not hiding its concern about self-driving vehicles, according to the latest surveys carried out in the US. Nevertheless, for a long time it has been predicted that in a not-too-distant future up to 80% of our purchases will be delivered by robots, both on land and flying.