British delivery firm Evri is testing new delivery robots with advanced suspension ‘legs’ and a wheeled base designed to take them up stairs and over difficult terrain
Evri is trialling robots that look like they were designed by Wallace and Gromit(Image: Evri)
Two-legged delivery robots plucked straight from Wallace and Gromit could soon be delivering parcels to front doors across the country, if Evri get its way.
The UK-based delivery firm has launched a trial of bipedal, wheeled robots as delivery workers today after partnering with Refined Robotics, a Japanese tech firm. The trial, which is underway in Barnsley, will see robots that look like a pair of the Wrong Trousers or Disney Pixar’s famous bouncing lamp bring packages to real life Evri customers.
The trial started this morning, and could see the newly designed robots enter the fleet alongside the existing crop of flagged, four-wheeled units already tasked with rolling deliveries to people’s front doors.
The two-wheeled and legged new robots are meant to allow superior balance for the drones over potentially tricky terrain while travelling across neighbourhoods. They can travel at a record-breaking speeds of up to four miles an hour – around six kilometres an hour – and can hop out of vans before hauling their payloads straight to people’s homes.
They are able to haul especially heavy parcels thanks to their “legs”, which provide advanced suspension carrying up to 15kg, even up stairs. They have been designed with a host of advanced, onboard sensors which allow them to operate autonomously, although they will be operated remotely during the trial.
How the robot trialss pan out in Barnsley, which Evri has dubbed “the UK’s Tech Town” and a priority location for the trial, will guide how the company goes forward with its new robots. The firm said the trial will primarily assess “how advanced robotics could complement Evri’s existing delivery network and support its mission to be the most convenient way to send, receive and return parcels”.
Evri will spend the trial evaluating how the new robots perform in residential environments, and how they could support its operational efficiency, all the while maintaining customer service standards. Nick Hafner, the CEO of Refined Robotics, said the firm was inspired to develop the new units after he saw an elderly driver carrying heavy parts up the stairs to his apartment during a heatwave.
The firm says humans will still need to complete most difficult delivery routes and carry packages across ground the robots can’t. He said: “Our two-legged delivery robot has been specifically designed to tackle some of the most complex challenges in last-mile logistics.
“Its ability to navigate stairs, uneven surfaces and outdoor environments makes it uniquely suited to supporting parcel delivery operations in real-world settings. We’re delighted to partner with Evri on Europe’s first trial of the technology and look forward to understanding how robotics can complement existing delivery networks and support the future of parcel delivery.”
Marcus Hunter, Chief Technology Officer at Evri Group, added: “At Evri, we’re focused on giving customers more choice, convenience and control over how they receive their parcels. As the UK’s leading parcel delivery company for delivery choice, we’re continually exploring new technologies that can help us deliver even greater flexibility while maintaining the high-quality service our customers expect.
“Launching Europe’s first trial of a two-legged delivery robot in Barnsley is an exciting milestone. Barnsley has built a reputation as a place where innovation thrives and new technologies can be tested in real-world environments. Our couriers remain at the heart of our business.
“We’re committed to exploring how innovation can support them, improve operational efficiency and help us continue offering customers even more choice, convenience and control in the future.”
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