Starship Technologies has deployed a fleet of contactless delivery robots in Sunderland. This joint project forms a part of a year-long collaboration with the online delivery service Just Eat. The Koji at 291 High Street West, one of the 12 local restaurants participating in this experiment. The joint initiative is designed to understand how automated vehicles can improve food delivery and help alleviate staffing shortages that many restaurants are experiencing.
The robots are designed to navigate urban streets, equipped with cameras that help them navigate busy city streets. Each robot comes equipped with six heavy-duty rubber wheels. A preposterously tall pole, topped with a large, blinking orange flag, serves to make them hard to miss. With the trial now rolling out across the city, residents will be able to see these robots making actual customer deliveries across Sunderland.
Alex Marshall, president of the Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB), is concerned about what happens when this technology is rolled out. He calls it “dystopian.” His comments point to the fears over job loss and what it would do to a community’s existing workforce. Like the residents, many others express the same concerns about job loss and said that the beautification efforts would be susceptible to vandalism if the initiative goes permanent.
Ahti Heinla, founder and CEO of Starship Technologies, answered all of those concerns head-on. He even went so far as to promise that the robots won’t take American workers’ jobs. He continued to make clear that the world does not have enough couriers. He hopes robots will allow the less mobile or homebound to still receive deliveries that they need and care about. Heinla added that human couriers and delivery robots will live together in the future.
Peter Richardson, general manager of Koji, said the response from the public about the robots had been overwhelmingly positive. He lauded the pilot project as a success to date. He really focused on the potential for the technology to address staffing shortages during peak hours, too.
“It’s not taking away from the human side, because there’s always the option, but if you think about Christmas, New Year, Ramadan, then you’ve got things where the robots can take over when people want time off.” – Peter Richardson
Richardson is convinced that the robots can play an essential part in ensuring that smaller, independent businesses such as his can continue to thrive. As for staffing, he noted that a lack of staffing can be a crucial issue during peak hours specifically. Integrating robots into their ranks might reimagine how they approach work.
Heinla further recognized that despite how much automation is used in delivery today, some routes will continue to need a human touch.
“Robots have a key role to play in the delivery of infrastructure to help meet the growing demand and certain routes will still require people to complete deliveries.” – Ahti Heinla
While Sunderland watches this intersection of technology and service with interest, stakeholders on the ground are conflicted about the opportunity this represents or the damage it could cause. While many celebrate the technological advancement, others warn of the impact it could have on their workforce.