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Amazon Begins Using 'Sidewalk Robots' In Seattle Delivery Tests (fortune.com)

Posted by EditorDavid on from the robo-shop dept.

An anonymous reader quotes Fortune: The future is now: Starting this week, Amazon is testing autonomous package delivery with adorable little robot vehicles in a northern Seattle suburb. Six of the Amazon Scouts, the company announced yesterday, are now delivering packages in Snohomish County in a trial run that complements its existing delivery options... The six-wheeled vehicles are fully electric and will move at "walking pace," for the time being only during daylight hours on weekdays while accompanied by Amazon employees for safety's sake.... [C]onsidering the drone delivery Prime Air program never got off the ground, Amazon Scout already seems like a more sensible solution to the last-mile problem: the time-intensive activity of getting packages from distribution centers to homes.

Wired points out some particular problems, though: "A delivery robot can't open gates without hands, and it can't climb steps to get right to your door. And if the robot requires the customer to enter a PIN to get the package out, how can the robot leave the package if you're not home?" And compared to the orderly structure of roads, sidewalks are pure chaos, with people, pets and objects sharing the space. Whether autonomous delivery vehicles are allowed to share the sidewalks varies by state and by city too; San Francisco has severely restricted them since 2017. Amazon's road test in Seattle may determine whether the delivery method finally arrives.

58 comments

  1. they will be destroyed by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Seattle folks are not stoked on Amazon for the most part. Especially poor folks.

    1. Re: they will be destroyed by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      What are those "Seattle folks" you yak about? The filthy losers, dispossessed and ignorant, clinging to an outdated and deplorable way of life, or the 21st Century tech-savvy, open-minded, environment-conscious, sensitive beautiful new people that are rightfully displacing them?

  2. KICK THEM INTO THE STREET. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Sidewalks are for people. Robots have no fucking rights. Kick this shit TO THE LITERAL CURB.

    1. Re:KICK THEM INTO THE STREET. by K.+S.+Kyosuke · · Score: 2

      The robots are writing down your comments as we speak...

      --
      Ezekiel 23:20
    2. Re: KICK THEM INTO THE STREET. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Are they also writing down this?

      And this?

      What about this?

  3. What could go wrong? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    This is certain to go smoothly.

    1. Re:What could go wrong? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Epic fail coming to a city near you! (If you live close to Seattle).

    2. Re: What could go wrong? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Oh for sure. A guaranteed failure for the last mile.

    3. Re: What could go wrong? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      If the robots get even twenty feet without someone stealing everything you put on it that would be a literal miracle.

  4. surveillance capitalism for the neighborhood by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    It's more than clear that Amazon looked at Google's massive income stream from surveillance capitalism and said "we want some of that". Amazon mounted a massive effort to get Alexa devices into everything -- laptops, phones, homes, cars, etc. Now that Amazon has a big piece of the home surveillance market (the other big piece going to Nest), Amazon is focusing on outside-the-home surveillance. So "Scout" (an apt name) will rove around and neighborhood and record everything for Amazon. "Scout" is also a way for Amazon to partially counter Google's massive self-driving surveillance fleet. ... And the beat goes on.

  5. This Idea Will Cave by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Faster than Trump's wall.

  6. More vehicles on the side_walk_ by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Nice

  7. Private Taking of a Public Good by Sir+Holo · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Using robots to deliver packages via sidewalks is a private taking of a public good (sidewalk). It is illegal.

    And for good reason. Just imagine the swarms of these things that could be in everyone's way –– these things that are motorized vehicles. Oh, most places, operating a motorized vehicle along a pedestrian right-of-way is illegal, too.

    Neither of these will be enforced, unless a large group of individuals sues and wins.

    1. Re: Private Taking of a Public Good by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      But the 1099 remote driver can get a dui

    2. Re:Private Taking of a Public Good by Urinal+Pube · · Score: 1

      A human walking to their job is technically the same. The private business is using the public sidewalk to get their profit generating resources on site. Should this be outlawed also?

    3. Re:Private Taking of a Public Good by alvinrod · · Score: 1

      Humans have used sidewalks to deliver goods forever. Was that private taking of a public good also illegal? You might have a point regarding the legality of operating a motorized vehicle on sidewalks, but if people find robotic deliveries convenient and desire them, they'll have no problem making an exception for robotic delivery vehicles.

    4. Re:Private Taking of a Public Good by Sir+Holo · · Score: 1

      Humans have used sidewalks to deliver goods forever. Was that private taking of a public good also illegal?

      False dichotomy. The key term in my post was "robots," by which I meant "autonomous vehicles" using sidewalks. It is a different thing than a delivery person using the sidewalk.

      People put up with FedEx/UPS parking in red parking zones all over cities, or at least the cops do; they do not let them drive or park on the sidewalk, as the delivery trucks are vehicles.

      ..., but if people find robotic deliveries convenient and desire them, they'll have no problem making an exception for robotic delivery vehicles.

      Perhaps. There will be discussion. I was describing the situation as it stands today, not in some future year. In any case, the myriad ways people have posted destruction of those e-scooters, their taunting of autonomous cars, or shooting-down of drones gives us a glimpse on the likelihood of mass acceptance of delivery bots using sidewalks. It is low.

    5. Re: Private Taking of a Public Good by Sir+Holo · · Score: 1

      But the 1099 remote driver can get a dui

      OK, that sounds plausible. Has this actually occurred somewhere?

    6. Re:Private Taking of a Public Good by yes-but-no · · Score: 1

      vandalism? three strikes law

    7. Re:Private Taking of a Public Good by tlhIngan · · Score: 1

      People put up with FedEx/UPS parking in red parking zones all over cities, or at least the cops do; they do not let them drive or park on the sidewalk, as the delivery trucks are vehicles.

      Incorrect. Practical cops may choose to not ticket the vehicles, but delivery vehicles get ticketed on a regular basis. In general, because they're there for only a few minutes, it's not worth ticketing but if someone feels they are parked in a manner that is causing a danger to traffic or blocking the sidewalk causing pedestrians to spill out on the street, then it won't be overlooked. (And yes, they park on sidewalks all the time, though most park in such a way that it doesn't force pedestrians to walk into traffic)

      And yes, these companies have procedures for dealing with tickets as well - it's often just the cost of doing business. I believe there was a big fuss one day when a cop ticketed an armored car for parking in a no-parking zone in order to do a pickup. The driver objected to the ticket in the press saying they needed to park there, but very little sympathy was had. (I'm sure everyone else who got a ticket in the area "needed to park there"). This was especially so after the armored car company said that they had procedures to deal with tickets (which usually just meant paying it off).

    8. Re:Private Taking of a Public Good by Anubis+IV · · Score: 1

      Using robots to deliver packages via sidewalks is a private taking of a public good (sidewalk). It is illegal.

      How did this nonsense get modded up? Are you going to tell me that UPS and FedEx delivery trucks are illegal too because they drive on public roads? I imagine freight air transport or even passenger transport is illegal, since the airways are a publicly-owned resource?

      Generally speaking, private companies can use public access. At worst, they made need a license to do so in the case of local ordinances.

    9. Re: Private Taking of a Public Good by bytestorm · · Score: 1

      Trucks often pay a significant fee for their use of highways. This is necessary because a truck causes over a thousand times more road damage than a car. So yeah, that particular example is not so great. They should definitely be paying much, much more than cars to use public roadways.

    10. Re: Private Taking of a Public Good by Anubis+IV · · Score: 1

      Trucks often pay a significant fee for their use of highways.

      Not unless it’s a tollway, they don’t.

      FedEx trucks don’t get pulled over as they cross state or local boundaries to pay fees. They might get pulled over for inspections, and there may be fines for not abiding by regulations, and there may be taxes on the sale or ownership of vehicles in different jurisdictions, but no one is paying a usage fee for public highways. That isn’t a thing anywhere in the US. Nor is it illegal for them to be using public resources, which is what the OP was suggesting was the case.

  8. bad idea by PopeRatzo · · Score: 5, Funny

    Does Amazon not understand how much people are going to fuck with these sidewalk robots? First, they'll be covered with gang graffiti in about five minutes, or festooned with sex toys. Local bands will cover them with stickers. Then, it will become a viral prank to kidnap these things with a panel van and steal their stuff and "customize" them. They will be hacked and used in public robot fights. Eventually, they'll be turned out and used for prostitution.

       

    --
    You are welcome on my lawn.
    1. Re:bad idea by alvinrod · · Score: 1

      After reading this, I'm even more in favor of this idea. Public fights between dildo covered, graffiti strewn delivery bots sounds more fun than Chuck E. Cheese's on weed.

    2. Re:bad idea by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      hello

    3. Re:bad idea by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It’s simpler than that. You can completely disable it just by flipping it over.

    4. Re:bad idea by PopeRatzo · · Score: 1

      It’s simpler than that. You can completely disable it just by flipping it over.

      That's absolutely no fun. I'm betting your friendly neighborhood ne'er-do-wells will find much more creative ways to fuck with those "sidewalk robots".

      --
      You are welcome on my lawn.
  9. Griefing commences 3-2-1.. by DrXym · · Score: 1
    These things are going to be smashed, kicked, set on fire, superglued, chewing gummed, cardboard boxed, tossed into dumpsters and all the rest. And even if they're unmolested they'll get stuck, get hit by vehicles, impede pedestrians, run through dogshit and generally be a nuisance. It won't be long before cities start taxing these things for using the sidewalk, and impounding them the way they do for scooters.

    Knowing Bezos he's probably micromanaged all this and even if it saves him cents, he'll still do it.

    1. Re: Griefing commences 3-2-1.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      They said this about CCTV cameras too. They said they would be vandalized and destroyed until the government would get the message and give up. Guess what, they were not tampered with or damaged, apart from a few negligible cases. The vast majority likes them. Here is the same.

    2. Re: Griefing commences 3-2-1.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Every test like this done with robots all the robots were vandalized and most destroyed and disappeared. I seriously doubt this would be any different. At least with a human you know they are going to show up even if they wonâ(TM)t deliver under certain conditions

    3. Re:Griefing commences 3-2-1.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It’s gonna be so fun flipping them on their back and watching them spinning their wheels.

  10. In the ghetto? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Something tells me these robots won't be deployed anywhere near certain areas for a long time. Well, until Johnny 5 gets a laser and isn't afraid to use it.

  11. Depends on sidewalk infrastructure by mnemotronic · · Score: 1

    What if there aren't sidewalks? In Columbia MD and nearby Ellicott City, there are entire neighborhoods without any sidewalks at all. I'm not talking trailer parks. These are upscale neighborhoods where the homes are worth $600K and up. I think the developer, James Rouse, had a vision where everyone had a car and drove to the shopping mall that was the "center" of the development. Trivia answer: actor Edward Norton is a grandson of James Rouse.

    --
    The Russians have won. They have made the world a cesspool of distrust, greed, fear and hate.
    1. Re: Depends on sidewalk infrastructure by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Exactly. And I have 3 big dogs on my property that like to head butt first and ask questions later. What would the robot do then?

    2. Re: Depends on sidewalk infrastructure by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It won't be able to get past the gate keeping your dogs in. But if it somehow does and your dogs damage it, then your dogs will be killed for being too aggressive. After all, what would have happened if that robot was a kid who had accidentally wondered into your yard? It's important to keep kids safe so your animals will have to be killed.

      Afterwards, Amazon will send you lots of ads for dog products.

    3. Re:Depends on sidewalk infrastructure by reboot246 · · Score: 1

      Neighborhoods without sidewalks are actually the norm. In my line of work I've worked in a few hundred cities and towns, and worked in thousands of neighborhoods and subdivisions. Sidewalks are few and far between. Even when there are sidewalks, they're commonly so rough and out of shape that kids on tricycles and roller skates have a hard time using them.

      I have no sidewalks in my neighborhood, or my previous neighborhood, or the one before that, or the one before that. We had one when I was a kid, but there was a high curb at each intersection. Not exactly wheel-friendly.

      Sometimes I think people look out of their window and they imagine the whole world looks just like their little part of it.

    4. Re: Depends on sidewalk infrastructure by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      And then the guy with nothing to loses shows up at the warehouse

    5. Re: Depends on sidewalk infrastructure by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      And then gets lost in the maze of shelving, eventually getting run over by a robot. And the Human Robotic War begins.

    6. Re:Depends on sidewalk infrastructure by mnemotronic · · Score: 1

      ... Sometimes I think people look out of their window and they imagine the whole world looks just like their little part of it.

      +1

      --
      The Russians have won. They have made the world a cesspool of distrust, greed, fear and hate.
  12. lets see by renegade600 · · Score: 2

    amazon is around a trillion dollar company. I will be walking down a street with one of those robots, maybe if it tripped me or run over my foot, I can get some of their cash...accidents happen :-)

    1. Re: lets see by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Not after posting on a public message board with a non AC account about your premeditation to extort Amazon you won't.

  13. This is what ROADS are there for! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Sidewalks only exist, because the fucking car industry launched a propaganda smear campain to call people "jaywalkers" (a massive insult back then) for walking on the street.
    The streets belonged to everyone, back then. No need for sidewalks.
    But cars killed so many people, that they were on the verge of getting banned. And this was their counter-move.
    (Source: Adam Ruins Everything.)

    So it's fucked-up, that they want to take the little space they left us now too!

    For you Americans it's tough. Since your cities are built for cars, not humans.
    But here in Europe, city centers have become more and more car free since the 80s.
    Nowadays, most people I know do not even own a car anymore. There simply is no point. Public transport is so good, there are so many vehicle sharing options, and you can cheaply get anything from a tiny car to a large truck as a rental or a taxi for the few cases where you actually need a car.
    So roads are going back to being for everyone. Trams, cars, bikes, skaters, people, ...

    1. Re: This is what ROADS are there for! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It's more that people didn't want to walk in the filth and horse manure, as they predate cars

  14. theses will be shoved into traffic by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    100% certainty

  15. for original see: https://www.starship.xyz/ by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    the guys at https://www.starship.xyz/ (a company started by some original skype founders) has been developing very similar, though a little prettier, ones for a few years now. And getting legislation passed for these.

    1. Re:for original see: https://www.starship.xyz/ by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      https://medium.com/starshiptechnologies/hello-robot-28b9b73787bf has a nice overview

  16. "how can the robot leave the package if you're not by LinuxIsGarbage · · Score: 1

    "how can the robot leave the package if you're not home?"

    I hate having purchases left unprotected on the doorstep. There's a lot of theft of parcels from doorsteps. Since like most people I work during the day, I prefer to have my purchases sent directly to a local post office for pickup. Then I don't need to worry about security, and just stop by on my way home from work.

    I also prefer the post office over FedEx or UPS because if they do try to deliver to your house and you aren't there, they will leave a card directing you to the post office (that will be only a couple blocks away, and open till 9PM). Courier companies may pretend to try ringing, forget to leave a card, then you have to just know that you need to drive to the depot in the industrial park 45 minutes away to pick it up before 5PM when they close. You also have Amazon couriers, which like Uber drivers are underpaid, under-insured "contractors"

  17. Roads? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    ...compared to the orderly structure of roads, sidewalks are pure chaos

    Tell the self driving car idiots that the roads are orderly structured the next time one of them hits a Jersey barrier.

  18. Similar: grocery delivery by robot car available by doug141 · · Score: 1

    Rolling out in Arizona. https://www.washingtonpost.com...

  19. Not a chance! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    This is a monumental example of dumbassitude.

        Sure, maybe if you live within walking distance of the Amazone warehouse, you don't have steps, you don't need a PIN, you don't have creative thieves in your area, and nobody just kicks the damn thing over, plus all the other stuff that can/might/may/ conceivably impede/redirect/hack/f__k up the courier from the swift completion of the task.

    The drones were bad enough, but this lunacy has even less potential. Amazone needs to stop this sort of crap and leave deliveries to delivery persons. I just re-read the post here, and it makes even less sense the second time.

  20. Re:"how can the robot leave the package if you're by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I just get my stuff sent to work.

  21. They're illegal in San Francisco? by mschuyler · · Score: 1

    I can see why. They'd come back with their tires covered in human shit. Win/Win

    --
    How about a moderation of -1 pedantic.
    1. Re:They're illegal in San Francisco? by Hognoxious · · Score: 1

      It's been a while since the last H1-B comment. Nice to revive an old tradition.

      --
      Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
  22. Re:"how can the robot leave the package if you're by yes-but-no · · Score: 1

    I am sure you can track online your package until you see the "Out for Delivery"; then likely there is a way for you to physically go and pick-up (when the item is not in the van and back at their office).
    Also amazon has something called lockers (name?) where you can enter a code/PIN and get your item. If you are ready to do the driving, there must be many ways to get your package.

  23. Total ripoff ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    ... or more accurately - carbon copy of starship:
    https://www.starship.xyz/

    Starship has been in business and testing the vehicles for years now. Has anyone ever heard of the amazon robot ever before or did it just pop up overnight without any public tests, etc. ?

  24. If they're calling them 'Scout' by John.Banister · · Score: 1

    then the robots ought to gently extend 30mm diameter rods from their bodies at intersections so as to help the elderly cross the street. Having delivery robots do automated vending to people having the app used at the Go stores has got to be part of the plan for their future.

    1. Re: If they're calling them 'Scout' by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      If they are going to have rods, then they Will also need arms to grab the elderly and hold Them while using the rod(s)