Delivery Robots: Out of the trash heap of Ideas?

 Hi all,

I am Pranav Surendran, 2nd year MBA student. Today I would like to share a few interesting insights I captured from my reading about the possibility of robots being used for last mile delivery.

So, the main question is will delivery robots designed to travel on sidewalks, gain traction or will they ultimately end up in the trash heap of ideas?

Amazon and FedEx have seeded and backed permitting delivery robots in more than a dozen states this year. 

Both Amazon and FedEx are developing delivery robots. FedEx's bot calledRoxo looks like small refrigerator and has completed on-road tests in four cities. Scout built to deliver Prime packages also is testing in four cities. 

The companies have similar visions: A delivery van full of robots would arrive in a neighborhood and robots would travel the last mile to customers doorsteps without human aid.

FedEx CEO wrote a letter to shareholders that Roxo is preparing for the second round of tests and FedEx will come out of pandemic with a greater understanding of how FedEx can benefit customers and society through these devices.

There are many legal and technological challenges that remain but the pandemic has changed the value proposition of delivery robots. There is now a health and safety component attached to it.

Delivery robots may still end up in the trash heap of ideas but revisiting their potential in light of pandemic as another solution to the sharp rise in e-commerce sales and health and safety concerns of delivery drivers and consumers is worthwhile.