»Scout«: Amazon develops delivery robots in Finland

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Amazon “Scout”: Up to now mainly used on company or university premises

Photo: Amazon / dpa

They look like a cool box on six wheels: Amazon is building a development center in Finland for its “Scout” delivery robots, which are supposed to drive independently on sidewalks.

The team in Helsinki, which initially has a good two dozen employees, will, among other things, develop software with which the vehicles can avoid obstacles, said the online retailer.

Amazon has so far let the small robots drive in four locations in the USA.

Technology for this is also being developed in Tübingen, among others.

Deutsche Post also experimented with sidewalk robots

Outwardly, the vehicles are strongly reminiscent of the delivery robots from Starship Technologies, which wanted to enter the market as a pioneer years earlier.

The Estonian company founded by Skype co-founder Ahti Heinl had its robot tested years ago in Hamburg in cooperation with Hermes.

At the presentation in 2019, Amazon emphasized that they came from its own development.

Other providers are also trying to establish themselves in the robotics business.

So far, the delivery robots have mostly been used to a limited extent in individual areas as well as on company or university premises.

They also occasionally find it difficult to negotiate curbs or potholes.

Among other things, Amazon is increasingly relying on self-directed deliveries in Germany instead of with postal services.

The sidewalk robots could provide some relief.

The group is also working on a delivery service with autonomous drones.

Deutsche Post had already started testing accompanying robots in the delivery service in 2018.

The PostBOT, a four-wheeled vehicle that is 1.50 meters high and follows the deliverer every step of the way, was not intended to replace any workplaces in Germany, but only to make the physically strenuous work easier for the deliverer.

For deliveries from the air, on the other hand, the Post had experimented with the “DHL Paketkopter”.

apr / dpa