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The folks at Amazon have been working hard to figure out new ways to get packages to customers. Last week Amazon announced that it’s testing Scout, a mobile robot that delivers packages to customers.
Presumable, if these tests of Scout are successful, more customers may get their Amazon packages delivered by a robot on wheels.
About Scout
Scout looks a lot like a blue cooler resting on six wheels, and moves at a pace that’s walking speed. It rolls along sidewalks and is learning to navigate around obstacles such as pets, pedestrians, rocks, branches and other things in its path. Scout is intended to deliver packages that were ordered with same-day, one-day or two-day shipping.
Amazon is currently testing six Scout robots in Snohomish County, Washington, near its headquarters in Seattle. Scout deliveries will be made during daylight hours, Monday through Friday. At first an Amazon employee will accompany Scout on its delivery routes, though Scout will navigate by itself.
This video shows Scout in action:
Questions About Scout Deliveries
Amazon’s announcement about Scout left many questions unanswered. We don’t know how Amazon will prevent theft or vandalization of Scout. We also don’t know whether Scout will come in different sizes due to the size of the packages or number of deliveries in a route.
How will Scout cross streets and navigate curbs, puddles, and potholes? Does someone have to be home to take the package out of Scout? How will it handle bad weather and icy roads? What if little kids think it’s a great idea to take a ride on Scout?
The testing in Snohomish County may answer all of these questions for Amazon.
Other Innovative Ways Amazon Delivers Packages
In recent years, Amazon has offered new ways of getting packages to its customers.
With Amazon Key, customers can give access to the inside of their homes to Amazon delivery people. Amazon Key unlocks the door for the delivery person and an Amazon video camera records the package being placed in the home. The door is re-locked when the delivery person leaves.
Find out about Amazon Key at => Amazon Key – Get Packages Delivered Inside Your House
Amazon also offers Amazon Key In-Car, which allows packages to be placed inside of cars. But the cars have to be compatible with this service and must be parked in places accessible for deliveries.
Learn more at => Amazon Key In-Car: Get Packages Delivered Inside Your Car
Amazon Lockers are available in some areas for people who don’t want or can’t have packages delivered to their home. Customers get a code emailed to them to open a local Amazon locker when the package has arrived.
Check out => Amazon Locker – A Different Delivery Option
Long-promised drones may (or may not) still be in the works at Amazon. Jeff Bezos in 2013 said that he expected Amazon to start delivering packages using drones by the end of 2015. That didn’t happen. Amazon Prime Air Drone Delivery: Cool, Convenient or Creepy? [Poll]
In 2016 Amazon announced that it was working with the U.K. government to test the safety of drone delivery. Amazon Blog, Amazon partners with UK government to explore safe use of drones for delivery.
Amazon has still not started delivering packages by drones, though it hasn’t announced that the idea has been abandoned yet. But Scout is more adorable than drones anyway.
Your Thoughts
Would you like to have your packages delivered by Scout? Do you think Scout is an effective way for Amazon to deliver packages? Do you think Amazon will ever offer drone delivery?
Share your thoughts in the Comments section below!
Hi Carolyn,
This is quite an innovative step taken by Amazon. However, I am not sure how practical it will be to deliver goods through scout. Hopefully they will work on this and make it a success.
Thanks for sharing, have a good day.
Hi Sajid, Yes, even though Scout is trained to avoid physical obstacles, there are other obstacles such as theft, vandalism and weather conditions that could be a barrier to Scout’s success. I do hope Scout works well for Amazon!
Amazon never fails to amaze us, and this feature itself is the beginning of a new time in this modern world
Thank you for making everyone aware of this Feature.
Hi Trupti, Yes, I hope Amazon is successful with Scout and that it answers these questions for an alternative delivery method.
Carolyn, thanks for sharing this! When do you think people will start worrying about Amazon? It feels like they are slowly taking over the world
Hi Nick, I’m glad you enjoyed this article. Many people are already worried about Amazon, including local retailers and major chains. Amazon has certainly transformed the retail industry and is continuing to evolve, making it difficult for other retailers to compete. That is certainly troublesome, but it’s difficult to see what slows down Amazon’s dominance.
Hi Carolyn
It is almost like something from an science fiction movie 🙂 As you point out there still is a lot of things that can go wrong with delivering the way Amazon Scout is supposed to work. On the other most people thought Bill Gates was crazy when he back in the 90s predicted that we in the future, would have computers that small that we could carry them around in our pockets and check news, flights booking and check e-mail. I guess most people have a smartphone doing just that today 🙂
You never know what the future will bring.
Hi Thomas, You’re right, it may seem crazy now but someday we may take Scout robots for granted. Time will tell whether Scout is the future of Amazon deliveries.