FedEx Unveils Autonomous Delivery Robot
Developed in collaboration with DEKA Development and Research Corp., the product is designed to help retailers make same-day and last-mile deliveries to their customers.
FedEx SameDay Bot
FedEx, an international transportation, e-commerce and business services provider, has introduced the SameDay Bot, an autonomous delivery device designed to help retailers make same-day and last-mile deliveries. The company is collaborating with retailers such as AutoZone, Lowe’s, Pizza Hut, Target, Walgreens and Walmart to help assess their autonomous delivery needs.
The SameDay Bot is developed in collaboration with DEKA Development and Research Corp. and its founder Dean Kamen, inventor of technologies such as the iBot Personal Mobility Device and the Segway. “We built upon the power base of the iBot, an advanced, FDA-approved, mobility device for the disabled population with more than 10 million hours of reliable, real-world operation,” Kamen said in a prepared statement.
Advanced technological features
The bot is designed to travel on sidewalks and along roadsides to deliver smaller shipments to customers’ homes and businesses. Features of the product include:
- pedestrian-safe technology
- LiDAR technology and multiple cameras
- battery-power with zero emission
- machine-learning algorithms to detect and avoid obstacles, plot a safe path and allow the bot to follow road and safety rules
- navigability on unpaved surfaces, curbs and steps
FedEx is set to test the bot over the upcoming summer in select markets, including Memphis, Tenn., pending final city approvals. The initial test will involve deliveries between selected FedEx Office locations.
Image courtesy of FedEx
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