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Home » Robots deliver mail in Switzerland

Robots deliver mail in Switzerland

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robot delivers mail in switzerland

What do you get when you mix a driverless car with a drone that delivers packages? You get a self-driving robot that delivers mail and packages, on demand, like the ones being tested now in Switzerland, in 2016.

These are courteous robots, sharing the sidewalk with pedestrians, and stopping when they get close enough to bump into one.

The special delivery self-driving robots are at work in a couple of Swiss cities, including Bern, the Swiss capital, testing delivery of special mailings, including packages that require flexible and rapid local delivery.

If the robots behave, their role could be expanded in the future for same-day and same-hour delivery of food or medicine, according to Switzerland’s Federal Roads Office.

Similar tests are underway in Germany and UK, where the robots were developed by a company – appropriately named –  Starship Technologies.  Scotty, beam up to the robot factory.

Here’s how Starship robots work:

Starship robot facts

According to SwissInfo.ch, the little battery-powered robots can carry up to 22 pounds (10 kilos) at a time, and travel for up to two hours, or around four miles total, between battery charges.

Top speed is just under 5mph, around the same as brisk walking speed.

The Starship Technologies robots being tested have nine cameras, four frontal sensors and GPS technology to help them avoid obstacles and navigate safely to their destinations.

The cameras have another purpose as well: to help deter potential thieves.

The robots are also “smart”, in the sense that they “learn” during each excursion, adding to their level of autonomy.  When they reach their destination, the robots send an SMS to alert the intended recipient that their package has arrived.

During the test phase, a human companion will supervise the robots.

Not a replacement

Swiss officials stress that the robots are not intended to replace traditional package distribution practices.

With typical Swiss diplomacy, the robots “represent Swiss Post’s desire to adapt to the evolving online shopping market, and to compete with increasing numbers of foreign logistics services.”

Last year, Swiss Post also tested the use of drones to deliver small packages of goods such as medicine.

Swiss Post expects drone and delivery robots will be “commercialised within three to five years”.  That’s about when autonomous, driverless cars are due to be on the roads, too.

 photo courtesy SwissPost via SwissInfo.ch
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Filed Under: Green Travel, Test Drives Tagged With: robots, Technology

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ecoXplorer is your guide to smart spending and eco-friendly living

Evelyn Kanter is a journalist with 20+ years of experience as a newspaper and magazine writer, radio & TV news producer & reporter, and guidebook and smartphone app author – all focusing on travel, automotive, the environment and your rights as a consumer.

Evelyn Kanter currently serves as President of the International Motor Press Assn. (IMPA), and is a past Board Member of a prestigious professional group for travel journalists.

Contact me at evelyn@ecoxplorer.com.

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