Six of the six-wheeled robots will deliver packages in an undisclosed neighborhood with an Amazon employee chaperone in tow. (Image credit: Amazon)
Amazon is gaining traction in the robot delivery business, as the e-commerce company has started field-testing their autonomous Scout delivery vehicles at an undisclosed neighborhood in Snohomish County, Washington. Scout is about the size and shape of a small cooler that’s outfitted with six wheels and travels at a walking pace.
Little details are known about the robot, which was developed at Amazon’s R&D Lab126, other than its battery powered, but it does bear a striking resemblance to other delivery platforms, including Starship’s semi-autonomous delivery robots.
Amazon is deploying six of their Scout robots for the field trial, and according to their press release, “Customers in Snohomish County order just as they normally would and their Amazon packages will be delivered either by one of our trusted partner carriers or by Amazon Scout. Customers can shop on the Amazon App or amazon.com and enjoy the same delivery options including fast, FREE Same-Day, One-Day and Two-Day shipping for Prime members.”
The robots will be delivering packages during daylight hours Monday through Friday and will follow a predetermined route to get to customers’ homes. The robotic mail carriers are outfitted with some type of obstacle and avoidance detection capabilities that will allow them to go around pedestrians, pets and other obstacles in their path.
Snohomish County Executive Dave Somers is excited that Amazon chose his location for field-testing stating, “We are delighted to welcome Amazon Scout into our community. Similar to Amazon, we are always looking for new ways to better deliver service to our residents. From the latest Amazon innovation to cutting edge technology, Snohomish County is a great place for entrepreneurial creativity.”
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