Manufacturing Minute: Self-Driving Delivery Robots

A self-driving deliveryman. This is your Manufacturing Minute.

While several major tech companies are investing in airborne drones in hopes of meeting rising delivery demands, a British startup believes that the solution should stay on the road.

Starship Technologies this week introduced a self-driving, six-wheeled delivery robot.

The system relies on a mobile app, which customers would use to both schedule a delivery time and unlock the robot’s storage compartment upon arrival.

Starship officials believe their prototypes could account for the last few miles of a delivery route, which are generally the most expensive.

A trial has been OK'd in London and pilot programs should begin in the U.K. and the U.S. next year.

The system, however, also presents some concerns.

Deliveries would be capped at 30 minutes and the robot only travels at 4 miles per hour.

What's more, the robot can only carry about 20 pounds of cargo.

So, What Do You Think?

With aerial drones running into regulatory and privacy concerns, is a driving one more practical?

Or will this autonomous vehicle run into the same safety concerns affecting the auto industry?

Email us or leave your comments below.

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