Mexican Media Brands
FedEx to Test Autonomous Delivery “Bot”
FedEx Corp. plans to begin testing a small, autonomous delivery robot in commercial applications this summer in select U.S. cities.
Share
FedEx Corp. plans to begin testing a small, autonomous delivery robot in commercial applications this summer in select U.S. cities.
FedEx is partnering with retailers, such as AutoZone, Lowe’s, Pizza Hut, Target, Walgreens and Walmart. The companies will use the FedEx SameDay Bot to make last-mile, same-day deliveries to nearby customers.
Equipped with lidar and multiple cameras, the battery-powered FedEx bot is designed to travel on sidewalks and along roadsides. The units can travel 10 mph and carry as much as 100 lbs.
FedEx says the device can navigate unpaved surfaces, curbs and even steps. Machine-learning algorithms are used to help the system stay on course, avoid obstacles and adhere to safety rules, FedEx says.
Initial test will involve deliveries between FedEx Office locations. One of the pilot programs will be conducted in Memphis, Tenn., where FedEx is based.
FedEx says more than 60% of an average retailers’ customers live within three miles of a store location. The logistic firm currently offers same-day delivery in 32 metropolitan markets in the U.S., using traditional delivery vehicles and FedEx employees.
Several other companies are developing their autonomous delivery devices. Amazon launched tests of its Scout system, which is smaller and not as sophisticated as the FedEx bot, last month in Seattle.
Watch a video about FedEx’s SameDay Bot HERE.
RELATED CONTENT
-
Global Supply of Automotive Fasteners from a Single Source
PennEngineering offers a global supply for a wide range of fasteners for the automotive industry, including China-based facilities that manufacture standard and custom products to world-class standards of quality at lower cost.
-
GM Seeks to Avert U.S. Plant Shutdowns Linked to Supplier Bankruptcy
General Motors Co. says it hopes to claim equipment and inventory from a bankrupt interior trim supplier to avoid being forced to idle all 19 of its U.S. assembly plants.
-
On Fuel Cells, Battery Enclosures, and Lucid Air
A skateboard for fuel cells, building a better battery enclosure, what ADAS does, a big engine for boats, the curious case of lean production, what drivers think, and why Lucid is remarkable
