Robotics & Automation News

Market trends and business perspectives

delivery

Postmates chosen as official robotic food delivery partner of the NFL

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Delivery robots company Postmates has been chosen as the official on-demand food delivery partner of the National Football League this season. (See video below.)

As part of its service, Postmates has teamed up with the NFL to tackle “one of the biggest issues Americans face” – food insecurity.

Through this partnership, Postmates says it has been able to tackle hunger in all 30 cities the 32 NFL teams call home, and “even got a few friends to help along the way”. [Read more…] about Postmates chosen as official robotic food delivery partner of the NFL

Kia to develop autonomous vehicles for last-mile delivery in Singapore

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Kia is planning to develop a variety of technologies including autonomous vehicles for last-mile delivery in Singapore.

The company has begun to lay the groundwork for its “Purpose Built Vehicle” (PBV) business, partnering with cold chain start-up S.lab Asia to break into Singapore’s last-mile delivery market.

The two companies have signed an agreement aimed at launching a pilot project in Singapore using the e-Niro and evaluating the potential for a future PBV-based business model. [Read more…] about Kia to develop autonomous vehicles for last-mile delivery in Singapore

Last mile: Micro-fulfillment centers bring supply chains to the consumer

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Over the last few years, as e-commerce sales have increased and customer expectations have shifted, there has been a steady race to move fulfillment closer to the customer.

Something once so innovative as two-day delivery has led to next-day delivery, which is quickly becoming obsolete as consumers demand same-day delivery.

This trend has accelerated during the Covid-19 pandemic, especially as more consumers become comfortable with online ordering of perishable items and groceries. One of the significant changes in supply chain strategies we are seeing as a result of this is the rise of fulfillment centers that bring fulfillment closer to the consumer. [Read more…] about Last mile: Micro-fulfillment centers bring supply chains to the consumer

Walmart begins to scale local fulfillment centers

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Walmart, the world’s largest supermarket chain, has started to scale its local fulfillment centers in the apparent belief that highly automated micro-warehouses are the way to go. 

The company has been working with a range of robotics companies on changing many aspects of its operation, and Alphabot (main picture) is one of the robots it has been testing.

Brian Roth, senior manager of pickup automation and digital operations for Walmart US, says: “With Alphabot, our associates should be able to put even more focus on helping the customer.” [Read more…] about Walmart begins to scale local fulfillment centers

Starship completes ‘1 million autonomous deliveries’ and raises another $17 million

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Delivery robot maker Starship Technologies says it has completed “1 million autonomous deliveries” since its launch in 2014.

The company adds that its business continues to expand with new partners and customers being added all the time.

In a blog post, Ahti Heinla, co-founder and CTO at Starship Technologies, says: “I’m proud to announce we have reached one million autonomous deliveries, more than 6 years after founding the company in 2014. [Read more…] about Starship completes ‘1 million autonomous deliveries’ and raises another $17 million

GM to invest $800 million to convert existing facility into Canada’s first large-scale commercial EV plant

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American auto giant General Motors to invest $800 million to convert one of its existing facilities into Canada’s first large-scale commercial electric vehicle manufacturing plant.

Subject to ratification of a tentative 2021 agreement reached with Unifor and confirmation of government support, GM plans to bring production of its recently announced BrightDrop electric light commercial vehicle, the EV600, to its CAMI manufacturing plant in Ingersoll, Ontario (main picture, courtesy 3BL Media).

The nearly $800 million (1 billion Canadian dollar) investment will support GM’s timing to deliver BrightDrop EV600 in late 2021. The investment will enable GM to convert CAMI into Canada’s first large-scale electric delivery vehicles manufacturing plant. [Read more…] about GM to invest $800 million to convert existing facility into Canada’s first large-scale commercial EV plant

Nuro awarded ‘first ever’ autonomous vehicle permit in California

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Nuro claims it has become “the first company” to receive a permit to deploy autonomous vehicles on public streets from the California Department of Motor Vehicles.

This permit will allow its vehicles to operate commercially on California roads in two counties near Nuro’s headquarters in the Bay Area.

Nuro says it will soon announce its first deployment in California with an established partner. The service will start with its fleet of Prius vehicles in fully autonomous mode, followed by its custom-designed electric R2 vehicles. [Read more…] about Nuro awarded ‘first ever’ autonomous vehicle permit in California

Uber completes acquisition of delivery robot startup Postmates

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Uber Technologies has completed the acquisition of delivery robot startup Postmates in an all-stock transaction.

The two companies have begun the process of integrating US operations.

The transaction brings together Uber’s global Mobility and Delivery platform with Postmates’ business in the US to strengthen the delivery of food, groceries, essentials, and other goods. [Read more…] about Uber completes acquisition of delivery robot startup Postmates

How Covid 19 has affected delivery services?

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The well-known deadly virus regarded as Covid-19; aka Coronavirus has undeniably been a significant cause of massive disruption in our daily regime.

Not only it has impacted our occupations but also restrained us from stepping out of the house for all necessary to additional outgoings. Shopping was once the most exciting pastime to do, but today’s critical consequences have indeed made it a daunting task, especially in-person trading.

Online shopping plays an immense role in offering a safe yet convenient method for acquiring your basic necessities and wants. However, the main issue comes on letting those deliveries inside your home. [Read more…] about How Covid 19 has affected delivery services?

Merck and Volansi launch commercial drone service to deliver cold-chain medicines in rural North Carolina

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Volansi, a drone company specializing in medical logistics, has launched a commercial healthcare drone delivery project in North Carolina.

In collaboration with pharmaceuticals and biotech giant Merck, known as MSD outside the US and Canada, Volansi is piloting the delivery of cold-chain medicines from Merck’s Wilson, North Carolina manufacturing site to Vidant Healthplex-Wilson, a Vidant Health clinic, as the first of three phases in a project to learn about drone technology’s role and ability to improve access to healthcare.

With 1.4 million people across 29 counties, eastern North Carolina’s vast, rural environment can create challenges for accessing care. Initial flights in the project resulted in the first drone delivery of temperature-controlled medicines within the US. [Read more…] about Merck and Volansi launch commercial drone service to deliver cold-chain medicines in rural North Carolina

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