Washington has become the eighth state to
greenlight the use of delivery robots on sidewalks and crosswalks.
Governor Jay Inslee signed the bill yesterday, following support from Starship Technologies, which specializes in autonomous last-mile and local deliveries.
Proponents of delivery robots tout reduced congestion and
pollution, since the robots are primarily electric, plus they give local
business a competitive advantage. Companies that are otherwise lacking a
delivery infrastructure can use the technology to regain an edge from
the likes of Amazon.
However, others say that such devices pose a
risk to pedestrians, although there's no evidence of any major safety
incidents as yet. Using a combination
of computer vision, GPS and machine learning, the robots are designed
to autonomously map their environment, navigate crowded areas and avoid
obstacles.
Virginia
paved the way for delivery robots back in 2017, and Idaho, Wisconsin,
Florida, Ohio, Utah and Arizona have since followed suit. Other states,
such as San Francisco, are still grappling with the legislation involved. But with major global companies such as FedEx taking an increasing interest in the technology, states around the US will have to address the issue sooner rather than later.
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