3 Smart Ways of Delivering Parcels (Without a Driver)
Can you imagine living in a world where everything is literally and figuratively controlled by data? Well, imagination is becoming more of a substance these days. From telecommunications, banking, security, manpower, automotive, and now to food and market industries, innovation is undeniably taking the world by storm for successfully making more and more visible transitions as the generation moves forward.
Talking about the latest shift in the food and market industries, about twenty (20) countries from around the world have been declared as the top autonomous vehicle ready countries to operate the self-driving vehicle systems in 2016. The birth of autonomous or self-driving vehicles has paved the way to greater ideas as innovators also started to incorporate the autonomous vehicles with different food and market (live or online) industries such as Domino’s Pizza, Walmart, and Amazon by creating the driverless delivery program.
The history of the driverless delivery program has never been easy due to certain predicaments such as road navigation in very tight places and maneuver in such a busy road (especially in the middle of road constructions). But being equipped with interconnected technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), Advance Driving-assistance Systems (ADAS), big data analytics, and the Artificial Intelligence (AI) that has the capacity to understand various driving scenarios and create real-time process and decision, the autonomous delivery program became more attainable either in air-based or road-based spheres. See how driverless delivery is operated in three different forms below:
1. DRONE DELIVERY SYSTEM
Neither a bird nor a plane would fly up the sky to deliver your food, groceries, and other purchased parcels because they’re actually delivered by drones. Yes, the unmanned aerial vehicles, known as ‘drones’, are now serving the customers in certain parts of the world such as China, Africa, India, United States, UK, and UAE.
Before 2016 has ended, Amazon has successfully launched its very own delivery drone system called the Amazon Prime Air which made its first flight in the United Kingdom. Guided with GPS, the device can fly up to 400 feet, carry packages up to 5 pounds, and deliver in approximately 30 minutes. But innovation doesn’t stop there since San Francisco has also created a larger version of delivery drone called Elroy a year later than Amazon. Elroy can carry parcels up to 150 pounds which is thirty times heavier than what Amazon Prime Air can handle.
2. AUTONOMOUS ROBOT
The six-wheeled autonomous robot is, again, first introduced in the United Kingdom by Starship Technologies. Similar to delivery drones, the autonomous robot is created to deliver parcels which are basically food, laundry, or purchased items online.
The robot is equipped with GPS, cameras, and radars to check if there are upcoming traffics on the road. While package security won’t be a problem since the robot is locked up and manipulated by a human controller. And customers with registration on the caterer’s mobile app have access to unlock the robot when delivery has reached their front door.
Meanwhile, another company such as Postman is said to be releasing their own version of the autonomous robot this year. Postman is going to name their minion-like robot as ‘Serve’ that can run around deliveries for as much as 12 counts per day.
3. NORMAL DRIVERLESS CAB
You have to say goodbye to delivery drivers as Ford and Domino’s Pizza have joined forces in operating the newest driverless cabs that will serve your ordered pizzas at your doorsteps. Comparable to the customers of the autonomous robots, users must also sign up to the company’s mobile application to place an order and track the delivery. In claiming the package, the driverless cab requires a passcode from the customers to unlock the window and serve the package.
With the same concept, Toyota and Pizza Hut is also planning to release their own driverless cab by 2020.
