Delivery robot pioneer Starship Technologies has teamed up with Finnish online grocery store S-kaupat to launch an express delivery service using emission-free delivery robots in seven regions this spring and summer, following a successful pilot project in 2022.
In the first phase, robot deliveries will start in the HOK-Elanto area, where the robots were piloted last spring. In the next phase, over the summer, the service will open across seven locations including Tampere, Turku, Pori, Rauma, Jyväskylä and Oulu. The goal is to make robot delivery available to customers more widely in the future.
Fast delivery
According to Finnish retail operator S Group, the owner of S-kaupat, the launch of the robot deliveries is in response to customer requirements, especially in urban areas, to have their groceries delivered quickly to their homes. On average, the robots deliver the goods to the customer within one hour from the order. The deliveries are available in the S-kaupat app, which can be downloaded for free from the App Store and Google Play Store.
“Demand for fast delivery is growing strongly and this is also reflected in our future plans. With Starship’s robot technology, we can offer our customers fast and reliable delivery of their purchases across Finland, and in a rather delightful way,” said CDO Jarkko Kyttänen, S Group Retail.
The robots
Starship’s robots use artificial intelligence (AI) and GPS positioning to plan their routes. The robot knows all the details of its environment and routes, including road crossings, and AI constantly learns more about the environment. Starship robots make more than 140,000 street crossings every day around the world.
The robot works autonomously, but humans can monitor and take control if needed, although 99% of the time, the robots are travelling on their own. The robot has 12 cameras, ultrasonic sensors, and radars. It takes advantage of computer vision, as well as technology that detects various obstacles. The robots stop quickly if an obstacle is detected.
The battery-powered robots have completed over four million deliveries globally, reducing traffic congestion and CO2 emissions in towns and cities. The robots have been operating at L4 autonomy since 2018, and Starship’s fleet of over 2,000 robots make thousands of daily deliveries autonomously in more than 50 service areas around the world.
“Our successful partnership in Espoo last year showed the tremendous demand for robot deliveries among Finns. We’re confident that communities all over the country will also embrace our innovative service, making delivery services an essential part of everyday life. Finland is our ‘home market’, with our R&D centre in Helsinki driving the design and development of our robots,” added Alastair Westgarth, CEO of Starship Technologies.
