Technology should make things easier for people in the future, such as driving a car. Efforts are also being put into automated deliveries.
Amazon is setting up a development center in Finland for its “Scout” delivery robots, which are supposed to drive independently on sidewalks.
The team in Helsinki, which initially has a good two dozen employees, should develop software that the vehicles can use to avoid obstacles, the online retailer announced on Thursday. Amazon has so far let the little robots, which look like a cool box on six wheels, drive in four locations in the United States. The technology for this is also being developed in Tübingen, among others.
Outwardly, the vehicles are strongly reminiscent of the delivery robots from Starship Technologies, which wanted to enter the market as a pioneer years earlier. At the presentation in 2019, Amazon emphasized that they came from its own development. Other providers are also trying to establish themselves in the business. The delivery robots have so far mostly been used to a limited extent in individual areas as well as on company or university premises. They also occasionally find it difficult to negotiate curbs or potholes.
In Germany, among others, Amazon is increasingly relying on self-directed deliveries instead of postal services. The sidewalk robots could provide some relief. The group is also working on a delivery service with autonomous drones.
Jane Stock is a technology author, who has written for 24 Hours World. She writes about the latest in technology news and trends, and is always on the lookout for new and innovative ways to improve his audience’s experience.
