Amazon halts robot delivery programme as it doesn’t meet the clients’ expectations
It was originally planned to be a successful sidewalk delivery service
At first, Amazon’s internal Scout programme seemed to be a great initiative for delivery robots, as a sidewalk delivery service. However, Amazon is stopping the initiative.
The programme will be reduced and 400 workers will be affected. The programme was made public in 2019 when Amazon had completed acquisition of robotics company Dispatch.
Amazon wanted to continue deliveries during the Covid lockedowns, but it needed people who could ensure that nothing went wrong, the ‘Scout Ambassadors’. The service made a lot of sense for an e-commerce company with a lot of interest in robotics.
The company also owns a drone delivery service. The business increased its marketing efforts and came up with new R&D activities after encountering difficulties.
