Who needs humans anyway? FedEx delivery robots are poised to make your life easier, bringing you everything from a Pizza Hut pie to car parts from AutoZone!
FedEx recently announced its new SameDay Bot. Developed by DEKA Development and Research Corp., its founder Dean Kamen just also happens to be the inventor of the Segway and the iBot. The SameDay Bot is an autonomous delivery vehicle that can wheel its way along your neighborhood’s roadsides and sidewalks, delivering items from retailers such as Pizza Hut, AutoZone, Target, Walgreens, Walmart and Lowe’s.
If delivery bots sound familiar, you’re probably thinking about Amazon’s Scout robots. The online retailer recently started testing these soon-to-be autonomous delivery robots in Snohomish County, Washington. But with FedEx’s recent announcement, it looks like Amazon’s bots aren’t the only robo couriers out there.
According to Brie Carere, executive vice president and chief marketing and communications officer for FedEx, “The FedEx SameDay Bot is an innovation designed to change the face of local delivery and help retailers efficiently address their customers’ rising expectations.” She added, “The bot represents a milestone in our ongoing mission to solve the complexities and expense of same-day, last-mile delivery for the growing e-commerce market in a manner that is safe and environmentally friendly.”
The bot will make its first test deliveries this summer, starting in FedEx’s hometown of Memphis, Tennessee. Even though FedEx currently offers SameDay delivery via its fleet of human-driven vehicles in 32 markets and 1,900 cities, the bots are set to expand this service, adding to the company’s already-convenient options!
—Erica Loop
Featured photo: FedEx via YouTube
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