When robotic couriers will replace real people?

Today I received a press release saying “Wildberries employed 3 000 people in 2 weeks”. In the mind immediately flashed a thought, but «who went to work for these people»? At the moment, during a pandemic, the most popular profession — the courier. Shipping of any kind has become the most popular service. Couriers are missing in Russia and in Europe. Now I live in Spain and me every day in all social networks to show ads to : “you Have a bike or car? Visit us in the courier!”. On the streets during the quarantine only travel couriers Yandex.Food Delivery club, Uber Eats (in Europe) and other services for the delivery of products, goods and ready meals. The courier — the perfect job or will soon replace the robots?

March 25, the online retailer has launched a website to help find work for the Russians, who lost it due to downtime in the factories. During the first two weeks, from 23 March to 7 April 2020, Wildberries has been arranged around 3000 people.

What does a courier? I'm probably going tough., but in my understanding — it is a biorobot. He has a phone as a communication tool feet, as a means of transportation and robotic arm. Received another order in your phone, the courier must walk or drive to the point of issuing the order and then deliver the order to the customer. Gone are the days when couriers were engaged in payment and carried a change. Now all the orders will be paid immediately upon order, right in the app with credit card or Apple/Google Pay. Of course, exceptions exist especially in the regions, but all goes to the fact that the payment will be carried out without using cash.

I don't know how much the courier working in the world or how many people are employed in this difficult work. But we can guess that a lot of them, and with the advent of mers and quarantine in our lives — they became even more. If I went to the store for groceries, now for a month, I just bought food with home delivery. I even encountered online queues, so for example Amazon and other stores delivery not cope with the influx of orders and not take orders if there are no available couriers. You have to go to the site several times a day and see if there are any available dates for delivery.

the Robot-courier Amazon

If we talk about life before the quarantine, I'm insanely often used the delivery Take from Yandex or Amazon, depending on what country I was in. Recent years, it makes no sense to go into the computer store for new keyboard or wire for the printer. Pressed two buttons — and got my order the next day. I want new furniture — please! There are online IKEA store. Want clothes? There are plenty of online stores. Food for animals? Please. I prefer to walk in the Park than to go for some purchase.

The Most interesting is that many things that are available online stores that is not available off-line. My son plays computer games and often we buy top of the mouse or keyboard. So, not one of them are presented in off-line stores. Have to order from USA online or local stores. Therefore, factors such as “go touch” — is canceled. With the guarantee and refund in recent years, with online purchases, too, without problems. And all this is done by couriers — shipping, refund, exchange.

Standalone machine Nuro can now legally deliver orders in California, USA

Now, let's see what kind of cute self-driving car was released to California authorities on a public road. She doesn't even have a steering wheel and pedals: it is completely independent and can deliver orders in the city. You just come and get your order, however convenient? Startup Nuro created this mils, is going to replace the courier delivery in USA thousands of such Autonomous machines. The machine is not asking for higher wages, creates a Union, not gets into various unpleasant situations and most importantly not walking to work. She does not drink or smoke, it always smells nice in the end. Why now in the United States allowed to drive a car on public roads? Yes, everything is simple — as usual, the trending sets of China. During the quarantine in Wuhan have used robots for the delivery of goods from JD. It is safe from the point of view of quarantine, and this is important at the present time.

the Robot-courier company JD.com

Hospitals in China, robots are used to deliver medicine and food infected patients. In multi-storey buildings they delivered the food from the entrance of the house to the apartment of the client. The courier unloaded the order from his car and passed it on the 1st floor of the robot and that has brought cargo to the apartment of the customer. Conveniently and safely.

a Robot in the hospital of Wuhan delivers medicines and food.

But back to us, in Russia. I'm sure everyone has seen the robot-courier from Yandex. These cute tables taking in one order, know the land and again, not capriciously. Yandex is and Autonomous machines that can travel the sidewalks and roads. You know that Yandex.Food, Yandex.Taxi, Yandex.Market it all — potential users of Autonomous vehicles and robots for the delivery. Implementation of robotic couriers can save you a lot of money.

the Robot-courier fromYandex company

Well, you now think that «they have in USA» if they live in their personal homes, the delivery of such robots is very convenient — went outside and took my order. But in the Russian reality, where everyone lives in high-rise buildings, this is not applicable. Object. In my brain, I was born this picture:

the Robot for delivery indoors

The Robot arrives to your Nuro 9 etazhki, it leaves the robot-courier Yandex and without any problems coming to you on the floor. What do you want? Yes, in General, mere trifles, and I think giants such as Uber or Yandex quickly realize it. It is necessary to equip with elevators and intercom communications with robots and electronic door! It's really simple and doesn't cost some crazy money: the Bluetooth module which receives a signal from the robot and sends a signal to door opening-closing. Just think — after that, the robots will be able to fully replace couriers who are now busy delivering goods all over the world.

food delivery robot-courier, 2020

We Have in Spain, couriers to bring goods, put them in the Elevator on the 1st floor, ring the intercom and said, «now the Elevator will take your order, thank you, goodbye». Don't know what kind of operation the lift. In Russia most of the elevators go only on the condition that it is. Perhaps there elevators was transferred to a special mode and there was such an option. Very convenient. And it is not necessary to contact the courier.

Your Next objection will be: «robots will Rob and they will not be able to fight back». Perhaps, but the robot can record video of everything happening around you and in the event of an attack, the perpetrator will be easy to find. But robots don't steal and don't spit in your pizza (just kidding).

We need to be aware that Google and Apple are working on Autonomous cars. Tesla can already drive itself on the roads and hundreds of startups are building their robots, and think how to automate the world of shipping. Uber, if you didn't know, the unprofitable company. Their profits will go only when they fired all taxi drivers and replace them with Autonomous machines. And while they are willing to work for years in the negative and to develop their Autonomous technology.

The worst thing in this story, the number of unemployed people who will certainly appear after the introduction of drone technology. Of course there will be protests, bans on the state level, but eventually robots will replace couriers and will deliver our parcels and food.

Next time talk about taxi drivers?

Couriers people will soon be replaced by robots. Now just to wait a bit.