Delivery robots have become a solution to last-mile delivery issues, proving a sustainable and efficient way to deliver small goods. By examining operations on college campuses, we can learn how to implement this technology across the country properly, shares Alastair Westgarth, CEO of Starship Technologies.
Last-mile delivery has had a history of being both inconvenient and bad for the environment. The issues included missed or stolen deliveries, subpar working conditions for gig workers, increased traffic, and congestion resulting from those trucks idling in traffic. As a result, companies are introducing new options, such as drones, EVs, and autonomous delivery robots, to bring goods to consumers when it is convenient for them. Hopefully, porch pirates will be relegated to a thing of the past.Â
On-demand deliveries have become very popular with consumers who can order food or groceries to be delivered at a time and place that is convenient for them.Â
College and University campuses have sprouted up as a great stepping stone to introduce these services to the US public. Many schools integrated the service before the pandemic struck; however, its effects played a part in accelerating autonomous delivery adoption in universities across the country. Even with a return to everyday life, autonomous robot delivery is more viral than ever due to its overwhelming popularity with students and its positive impact on delivery and the environment. The effect of autonomous robot delivery can be seen in how they operate on college campuses, bringing students an efficient, cost-effective, and sustainable delivery option. In addition, the overall sentiment from students has been fantastic, showcasing that autonomous robot delivery can be widely adopted and accepted in more areas with proper implementation and technology, according to Starship’s 2022 survey results.
The Impact of Autonomous Robot Delivery
Autonomous robot delivery can help resolve the issues plaguing last-mile delivery due to its environmental advantages and autonomous technology. The first and most significant impact that autonomous delivery can provide is its carbon emission reductions. Robots from autonomous delivery companies like Starship are all fully electric and contribute no carbon emissions. These claims are supported by a 2020 studyOpens a new window from Professor Miguel Andres Figliozzi of Portland State University. The study investigates carbon emissions from various delivery vehicles, including delivery robots, drones, and vans (electric and combustion engines), and found that autonomous electric delivery vehicles vastly reduce carbon emissions compared to the alternatives. According to Starship Technologies, on average, a single autonomous delivery robot can take ten cars off the road (based on one robot doing ten deliveries per day). In one UK city where the company operates, they’ve removed more than 300,000 car journeys since the service began in 2018. The potential positive impacts on the environment also reduce costs by eliminating gas consumption from ordinary delivery vehicles. The Starship robot’s average energy consumption for one delivery equals boiling a kettle of water to make one cup of tea.Â
The vehicle’s autonomy also affects the delivery cost and efficiency. The SAEOpens a new window (The Society of Automotive Engineers) defines six levels of autonomy, ranging from level zero (no automation) to level five (full automation). Any level of autonomy above three not only expedites delivery, as it cuts down on transit time but reduces the cost of delivery by decreasing expenses (vehicle maintenance, human resources). While making significant technological progress, the autonomous vehicle market is still developing, but locations like universities have been where these technologies can flourish. Starship Technologies, for example, is the only autonomous delivery company operating on level four autonomy (high autonomy) and has been doing so since 2018. This level of autonomy means that the robots mostly drive themselves, with minimal assistance from operators throughout the day or in specific circumstances (railroad crossings). University campuses have been a proving ground for robot delivery companies to showcase their technology and its progress to the US market.
See More: Last Mile Delivery Technology: Build or Buy?
The Robot-student Relationship
The positive impact of robot delivery is evident in a recent survey by Starship Technologies aimed to get a pulse on student sentiment about the robots roaming the campuses. The results were positive, with the robots helping students improve their mental health, skip fewer meals, and even study.Â
The overwhelming majority of students either ‘love’ or ‘like’ having the robots on campus (98%). This popularity was due to both the robot’s design (75% thought the robot was ‘friendly/cute’) and the convenience brought by the service. The results reflect the delivery trend of consumer demand for more efficient service. The key takeaway is that autonomous delivery can be a viable solution to expedite delivery times while maintaining a sustainable framework.
Another insight from the survey revolves around the human and robot relationship and integrating emerging technologies into society. For example, behaviors such as helping a robot if it appeared in need, treating the robot as they would a person by saying thank you or excuse me, and feeling like robots improved their mental health, all point to the possibility of a relationship that can be forged between humans and robots in a way that is socially inclusive. These findings suggest there can be a human connection between the robots and the people who coexist. Students interacted with the robots by patting them and taking selfies. The fact that most students reacted positively to the robots and suggested that they would recommend such services bodes well for the future adoption of autonomous services when implemented in a community correctly.
Learning and Expanding
The learnings from the survey and the beneficial impact of autonomous delivery on last-mile delivery indicate that this technology effectively solves the issues in its sector and is welcomed and quickly integrated into local communities.Â
The technology positively impacts the environment by reducing traffic and pollution, eliminating carbon emissions on deliveries while using minimal energy, the cost by eliminating expenses like gas consumption and vehicle maintenance, and efficiency by reducing delivery times and human error. When introducing autonomous robot delivery more broadly to neighborhoods, voicing these impacts can be persuasive, but correctly implementing the technology is vital.Â
The convenience of the service and the aesthetic of the robots have helped communities take them in as one of their own. These positive environmental impacts and the popularity of delivery bots in universities across the US proves that consumers are hungry for new and innovative technologies that will make their lives easier while prioritizing sustainability.
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