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Self-Driving Delivery Robots To Hit Sidewalks of London In 2016 (thestack.com)

Posted by Soulskill on from the robots-bringing-you-pizza dept.

An anonymous reader writes: Estonian start-up Starship Technologies is taking a different approach to automated delivery with a ground-based self-driving robot. Headquartered in London and launched by two ex-Skype founders, the robotics company has unveiled its suburban pavement-strolling bot which can travel at a speedy 4mph. Starship claims that the 40-pound machine could deliver packages in 5 to 30 minutes from local retailers and restaurants. The company argues that a grounded approach to automated delivery will remove some of the safety concerns linked to flying drone systems, as the robot is much less likely to cause harm.

11 of 98 comments (clear)

  1. 40 pounds? by tgibson · · Score: 5, Interesting

    What's to keep these from being carried to the nearest alley and a relieved of their payloads?

    1. Re: 40 pounds? by tgibson · · Score: 5, Informative

      It's in the UK, plenty of surveillance.

      That doesn't deter, does it? Isn't there a lot of crime in London despite the surveillance?

    2. Re:40 pounds? by frovingslosh · · Score: 2

      I look forward to the stories of how this failed and how no one could have ever anticipated all of the theft and vandalism problems.

      --
      I'm an American. I love this country and the freedoms that we used to have.
    3. Re:40 pounds? by Prof.Phreak · · Score: 2

      This could be solved by making it slightly sturdier, perhaps 200-400lb (instead of easy-to-carry-away 40lb), perhaps a metal cage to protect bits, a taser for those enthusiastic pedestrians... and in extreme cases, perhaps a gun...for those termination missions (though then it would have to be made to look like Schwarzenegger :-).

      --

      "If anything can go wrong, it will." - Murphy

    4. Re:40 pounds? by tehcyder · · Score: 2

      " they cut off the power and they become a dead lift, impossible to carry."

      And of course nobody can carry a 40 pound dead weight.

      This is slashdot, not some bodybuilding forum, bro.

      I've seen people here moan about the weight of a wristwatch.

      --
      To have a right to do a thing is not at all the same as to be right in doing it
  2. Warning Labels by SuperKendall · · Score: 3, Funny

    To precent mischief future bots will have to deter theft.... one suggested sticker:

    DELIVERY BOT CARRIES LESS THAN 2GB OF RAM AT ALL TIMES.

    --
    "There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
  3. Re:Lawsuits... by gstoddart · · Score: 3, Insightful

    By the same token, I can also see some degree of hostility and mischief ... I mean, I'm sorry, but what do you figure the odds are someone won't give it a good kick or otherwise find ways to abuse it?

    And I'll tell you what, I aint getting out of the way of no damned robot; so if it isn't bigger than me, it better be faster than me.

    Mark my words, people will treat this like shit on their shoes. They sure as heck won't be polite to it.

    --
    Lost at C:>. Found at C.
  4. immobility by PopeRatzo · · Score: 3, Insightful

    the robotics company has unveiled its suburban pavement-strolling bot which can travel at a speedy 4mph. Starship claims that the 40-pound machine could deliver packages in 5 to 30 minutes from local retailers and restaurants.

    You know, you all are some lazy-ass motherfuckers.

    --
    You are welcome on my lawn.
  5. The Dalek problem by moonlandingchap · · Score: 3, Informative

    Knowing the streets of London, there are lots of kurbs, sunken manhole covers, uneven paving slabs and just hundreds of road crossings. This thing better have some clever way of keeping moving over quite rough ground without getting stuck. Meanwhile if it's carrying anything worth delivering then someone will try to have it away. Also most Londoners don't live on the ground floor, how does it get the attention of the target person to come and meet it in the street? The project will probably fail and the police will hijack it and use them as camera drones. Maybe even parking enforment.

  6. London doesn't have "sidewalks" by YuppieScum · · Score: 4, Informative

    London has pavements.

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    This sig left unintentionally blank.
  7. "sidewalks" by Gonoff · · Score: 2

    Outside the USA, there are very few sidewalks and none in London.

    As English is not only our first language but it goes back centuries, we have pavements.

    --
    I'll see your Constitution and raise you a Queen.