Shopping Drones

[The_DADDY]

Just now, Mr Bloke said:

Hmmm...

I'm wondering if I got my old tranny to identify as a shopping drone...

 

... would I be able to get my weekly nibbles without ever having to leave the house?

What does he currently identify as? 

[ECCOnoob]

1 hour ago, El Cid said:

I have seen news items about flying drones too.

My concern is businesses using the pavements.

Most pavements are not busy,  is there enough room on our pavements, should they even be allowed on pavements, since it's illegal for vehicles to drive or park on pavements, even small ones.

Why is that being ignored?

Should cyclists use the pavement when the road is busy, should disability scooters use the road or pavement?

Lots of changes coming in the future, but it seems like these four wheelers get preference.

Fair point about pavement use but given these delivery "vehicles" are from design both far smaller and far slower than either a cyclist or mobility scooter, I don't think it's a much of an  equal comparison.

 

At best, they move around the same speed of a human walking pace, and are designed to stop and follow the speed of pedestrians in front or around them.  Therefore, is it not arguable they are far more suitable, less disruptive and just as worthy to take up pavement space as, say, a parent pushing some massive baby buggy or a  wheelchair user or someone pushing a shopping trolley or someone dragging a wheeled suitcase with them.  

 

Let's put it this way, some royal mail staff used to pull a little cart around with them on their delivery rounds and nobody demanded they stopped using the payment... Aren't these delivery robots doing exactly the same thing just without the big fleshy part manually dragging it along.

Edited December 14, 2022 by ECCOnoob

[El Cid]

18 hours ago, ECCOnoob said:

Therefore, is it not arguable they are far more suitable, less disruptive and just as worthy to take up pavement space as, say, a parent pushing some massive baby buggy or a  wheelchair user or someone pushing a shopping trolley or someone dragging a wheeled suitcase with them.  

 

Let's put it this way, some royal mail staff used to pull a little cart around with them on their delivery rounds and nobody demanded they stopped using the payment... Aren't these delivery robots doing exactly the same thing just without the big fleshy part manually dragging it along.

You are certainly saying these little vehicles are very useful. It's almost like there is nothing they cannot do.

 

So when they start delivering car parts, take aways, prescriptions etc will there be enough space on the pavement for pedestrians, I guess postie's, take away drivers etc will need to find other jobs.

[carosio]

Delivery robot takes a swim:    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-53678376

 

Presently they're used for food/take-aways and possibly small low-value items but beyond these I see difficulties for this size of vehicle.

 

I would think they have to have a recipient upon delivery (on the pavement) as they can't open gates or negotiate steps, and presumably the food has to be pre-paid on ordering. I'm not sure what they use as 'proof of delivery', but I wouldn't fancy being filmed every time.

 

Further problems would include snow, steep hills, muddy tracks, flats, tower blocks, distance (battery capacity), road works, and other scenarios that I can't think of.

How these would work on say London Rd or the Wicker would be interesting, including a safe parking area for them.

[ECCOnoob]

2 hours ago, carosio said:

Delivery robot takes a swim:    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-53678376

 

Presently they're used for food/take-aways and possibly small low-value items but beyond these I see difficulties for this size of vehicle.

 

I would think they have to have a recipient upon delivery (on the pavement) as they can't open gates or negotiate steps, and presumably the food has to be pre-paid on ordering. I'm not sure what they use as 'proof of delivery', but I wouldn't fancy being filmed every time.

 

Further problems would include snow, steep hills, muddy tracks, flats, tower blocks, distance (battery capacity), road works, and other scenarios that I can't think of.

How these would work on say London Rd or the Wicker would be interesting, including a safe parking area for them.

But all of this will come as part of the evolution. We are in early days but already in parts of the world we do have larger delivery robots out on the streets delivering FedEx or ups or prime packages.  The military has been using autonomous vehicles carrying huge loads.  Within private buildings there are hotel or hospital or office delivery robots that completely autonomously open automatic doors, control and call lifts, dispatch and recharge themselves without human intervention.  There are entire warehousing operations and dispatch rings that operate through robotics, picking, packing and dispatching all with just a few clicks of a computer mouse. There are already vehicles which have automatic systems to detect and very far tall payments, change traffic signals, open barriers and gates. 

 

Given that in most new builds now, there is a default position to be installing electric doors, keys are being replaced by proximity cards or WiFi controlled access, houses are becoming more advanced with more domestic tech in them.  The so-called "internet of everything" is now well beyond simply being science fiction.... Is it really hard to imagine that the next generation of such delivery robots will be able to manage things like gates and doors and navigating apartment blocks.  

 

Again, the current generation of vehicles may not be the most sturdy thing in the world, but I don't understand why you think they couldn't cope with hills or busy areas like London Road or Wicker.  

[carosio]

16 hours ago, ECCOnoob said:

But all of this will come as part of the evolution. We are in early days but already in parts of the world we do have larger delivery robots out on the streets delivering FedEx or ups or prime packages.  The military has been using autonomous vehicles carrying huge loads.  Within private buildings there are hotel or hospital or office delivery robots that completely autonomously open automatic doors, control and call lifts, dispatch and recharge themselves without human intervention.  There are entire warehousing operations and dispatch rings that operate through robotics, picking, packing and dispatching all with just a few clicks of a computer mouse. There are already vehicles which have automatic systems to detect and very far tall payments, change traffic signals, open barriers and gates. 

 

Given that in most new builds now, there is a default position to be installing electric doors, keys are being replaced by proximity cards or WiFi controlled access, houses are becoming more advanced with more domestic tech in them.  The so-called "internet of everything" is now well beyond simply being science fiction.... Is it really hard to imagine that the next generation of such delivery robots will be able to manage things like gates and doors and navigating apartment blocks.  

 

Again, the current generation of vehicles may not be the most sturdy thing in the world, but I don't understand why you think they couldn't cope with hills or busy areas like London Road or Wicker.  

First of all, the food and take-away shops in the Wicker and along London Rd are densely packed Victorian buildings so I can't really imagine an orderly procession of these vehicles travelling to and fro to their destinations, on the presumption that all these shops would use them. Also, there could be a 'radius' limit and several addresses would be on their itinerary and so at walking speed this would take time.

 

Obviously this is all speculation on my part. I think delivery operations/windows would have to be re-structured from the present system using the faster mopeds and cars.

 

Trust you're familiar with some of Sheffield's steep hills, particularly when they're covered in ice and snow!

Edited December 16, 2022 by carosio
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