Crate expectations: innovations in last mile delivery technology

Western society is currently experiencing a crisis of conscience versus convenience. The boom in online shopping, food delivery platforms and new mobility providers has made it easier than ever to get what we want and where we want, around the clock. This ultra-convenient consumerism comes at a cost, however, and the streets of our cities are clogging like arteries exposed to a few too many takeaway pizzas.

Autonomous delivery systems of different stripes are emerging to help solve this logistical conundrum, from underground hyperloops for distance freight, to robotic drones that service the all-important last mile. Starship Technologies falls under the latter category, its six-wheeled robots delivering groceries, hot food and packages to customers on demand. When The Engineer first spoke with the company back in 2016, its bots had covered just 5,000 miles in testing. Four years later, things have moved on quite a bit.

“We’re over 350,000 miles travelled now,” said Henry Harris-Burland, VP of marketing at Starship.