Chicago resident John Roberts was initially thrilled when he saw a delivery robot on the sidewalk in front of his house. “I thought they were pretty cool – it seemed futuristic,” he said. But the excitement turned to annoyance when he had to dodge a robot with his family. “We were on the sidewalk, which is for pedestrians, and we had to make way,” Roberts said.
Autonomous urban delivery vehicles are now operating in several US cities as well as in the UK, Japan, South Korea, and Germany. They deliver food and groceries, navigating with cameras, sensors, and GPS. In Ukraine, they are only being tested in individual civilian projects, but at the front they are already indispensable for supplies.
Manufacturers emphasize the robots’ reliability: they detect obstacles, cross streets safely, and reduce traffic and emissions. Nevertheless, resistance is growing. Several cities have imposed bans and seen protests because the robots block sidewalks and obstruct pedestrians.
Source: www.bbc.com
