Electric-powered, wheeled delivery vehicles named “Scout” were created by Amazon and guide themselves along sidewalks at a walking pace, according to Sean Scott, the vice president heading the project. Amazon becomes the latest entry to the market for robotic or autonomous delivery aimed at getting meals or other goods to customers without a human driver. “Customers in Snohomish County order just as they normally would and their Amazon packages will be delivered either by one of our trusted partner carriers or by Amazon Scout,” Scott said. Scout delivery robots will work only during daylight hours Mondays through Fridays, automatically maneuvering to destinations but accompanied by Amazon employees, according to the company. Chinese retail giant JD.com uses delivery robots, as do a number of startups operating in the United States and Europe.

Source: The Express Tribune January 24, 2019 06:56 UTC