Delivery Robots: A Tale of Two Cities
The University of Tennessee and UNLV have delivery robots on their campuses, but only one can have those robots travel off campus.
Aaron’s Thoughts On The Week
“…the internet is not something that you just dump something on. It’s not a big truck. It’s a series of tubes.” - former US Senator Ted Stevens
Delivery Robots continue to be used across the United States. However, a patchwork of regulations at the local and state levels needs to be clarified for customers and companies trying to deploy this technology. Robots may be able to travel in certain areas but not cross one street because they are not allowed in that area because of local rules that ban delivery robots.
So far, in 2024, we have two different outcomes around two major campuses and their surrounding cities. The University of Tennessee in Knoxville and UNLV (University of Nevada, Las Vegas) have delivery robots roaming their campuses, making deliveries to students and staff. This week, the Clark County Commission allowed the robots at UNLV to expand their range to off-campus housing using nearby public sidewalks. The vote will “provide us with more safe and accessible food options for students,” said Constance Brooks, vice president of government and community relations at UNLV.
In Knoxville, however, it was another story.
In late April, the Knoxville City Council voted unanimously to prohibit “personal delivery devices” (PDDs) within city limits.
"After this research and discussion, City staff members have concluded that the existing infrastructure in areas most likely to be used for PDD operations is not appropriate for PDDs to be safely and conveniently operated. As such, the recommendation is that an ordinance be adopted to prevent PDDs from being operating on City ROW to prevent infrastructure impairment and pedestrian issues," the city said.
This confined the delivery robots to the University campus, which is State Property and does not fall under the city’s jurisdiction.
The Current Delivery Robot Regulation Landscape
The delivery landscape in the U.S. is evolving rapidly with autonomous robots becoming more common for last-mile deliveries. As of 2024, over 20 states have authorized the use of delivery robots, including California, Texas, Florida, and Virginia, among others. Regulations vary, but generally, robots can operate on sidewalks and pedestrian paths rather than roads. Common requirements include speed limits (often under 10 mph), weight restrictions, and operational licenses.
Permitted uses include food, groceries, and small package deliveries, often focusing on urban and campus environments. Restrictions usually center around pedestrian safety, requiring the robots to yield to people, avoid obstructing traffic, and maintain liability insurance. Certain areas limit the number of active robots and require direct oversight by human operators for monitoring and control.
However, challenges remain: most states prohibit robots on roadways, limit operation to specific hours, and require strict adherence to local traffic laws. Some states restrict use to particular cities or areas, preventing widespread deployment. Additionally, ongoing public and government concerns about privacy, safety, and accessibility continue to shape the regulatory landscape.
Thank The Big Delivery Players For This
This patchwork of regulations can be traced back to efforts by some of the big players in delivery, namely Amazon and FedEx. Both firms actively worked to influence state laws around delivery robots, referred to by many state laws as Personal Delivery Devices (PPDs), to expand the use of these autonomous devices. These efforts were part of a broader strategy to create favorable legal environments that allow these companies to deploy robots on sidewalks and streets across various states.
Amazon and FedEx have supported legislation in states like Pennsylvania, where laws now classify the delivery robots as “pedestrians,” allowing them to operate on sidewalks and certain roadways. These laws often include specifications such as weight limits (up to 550 pounds in Pennsylvania) and speed restrictions (up to 12 mph on sidewalks). The push for state laws rather than local regulations provides these companies with a consistent framework that preempts city-level rules, reducing the regulatory hurdles they face when introducing new technology.
The companies argue that these robots can reduce delivery times and emissions by replacing traditional delivery vans. However, the laws have faced opposition from pedestrian safety advocates, labor unions, and local government officials concerned about potential safety issues and job losses. Concerns include the speed of the robots, their size on narrow sidewalks, and the need for local control over their operation.
Eric Boerer of bike-pedestrian advocacy group Bike Pittsburgh says 12 mph is fast for traveling on the sidewalk, considering the average walking speed for pedestrians is about 3 or 4 mph.
“They are going to be on sidewalks with 12 mph. That is extremely fast,” says Boerer. “And in a city like Pittsburgh we have narrow sidewalks. Some of these things can be the size of a refrigerator. How are we going to get around that?”
It should be noted that Industrial Mobile Robots (IMRs) per ANSI R15.08 are speed-limited to human walking speeds when operating anywhere a human may also be present. That ANSI R15.08 only applies to industrial settings like factories or warehouses does make one question why workers could be safer around robots in industrial settings versus the general public, including children, in a public setting.
Oddly, though, both FedEx and Amazon have recently halted or scaled back their delivery robot programs due to various challenges. FedEx discontinued its Roxo delivery robot as part of a strategic shift towards other opportunities, citing the need to focus on more immediate priorities. Amazon has paused field testing of its Scout robot, although it insists the project is not entirely canceled. The decisions reflect broader difficulties in overcoming regulatory, safety, and operational hurdles in deploying autonomous delivery devices on public sidewalks and roads.
Using Standards And Education To Bridge The Confusion
The Urban Robotics Foundation (URF) is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping cities prepare for integrating public-area mobile robots (PMRs), including delivery robots. Founded in 2021, URF provides guidebooks, workshops, and advisory services to assist municipalities in understanding and regulating these technologies. The foundation is actively involved in developing and publishing the ISO 4448 standard, which aims to create global guidelines for PMR deployment.
ISO 4448 focuses on the deployment, operation, and safety of public-area mobile robots, mainly how they affect bystanders’ safety, comfort, and acceptance. It addresses issues like the behavior and governance of these robots, prioritizing what works best for cities and active transportation users. Although it considers technical feasibility to ensure its guidelines are achievable, it avoids delving into manufacturing standards or commercial innovations.
URF’s Ben Grush stated in a recent interview the following:
“…if you want to stay in the good graces of regulators, get behind a competent standard, make sure that standard works both for the cities and for the industry. Then build systems that comply.”
URF collaborates with cities, accessibility groups, and industry stakeholders to address challenges like safety, insurance, and public acceptance, ensuring robots enhance urban livability. The organization offers resources such as the "Executive Guide to PMRs" and hosts webinars and workshops to educate city officials on how to pilot and scale robotic programs effectively.
There Is A Lesson Here For Humanoid Manufacturers
This week, 1X announced that they would start testing their humanoid robot in homes. While it is great to see a company confident to see what it will take to finally get a Rosie the Robot, it doesn’t seem like the current history of home robots holds my hope.
Techcrunch this week published an article titled “Why do so many home robots still suck?” which highlights that in the 22 years since the introduction of the Roomba, that is as far as many have gone in the home robot market.
However, it is through the Roomba, we know who’s jurisdiction any home robot will fall under (at least in the United States) - The Consumer Product Safety Commission, also referred to as the CPSC. The CPSC regulates the manufacture and sale of more than 15,000 different consumer products, from cribs to all-terrain vehicles. Products excluded from the CPSC’s jurisdiction include those named explicitly by law under other federal agencies' jurisdiction. Like cribs and all-terrain vehicles, tip-overs are one of the biggest concerns for Humanoids. On average, 21 people die from just furniture, television, and appliance tip-overs each year, mainly in their homes.
In 2022, Congress passed the STURDY Act, requiring manufacturers to meet stability standards, specifically ASTM F2057. Regulator firms like the CPSC often do not create new regulations if an industry-accepted standard is already on the books by a Standards Development Organization like ASTM, ISO, or UL. They work with that SDO to create the standard and then the CPSC enforces it. The CPSC has already recalled other home robots and will continue to.
It may make sense for Humanoid companies to work closely with Standards organizations looking at Humanoid Standards like the current IEEE Humanoid Study Group to propose new standards that can then be the core elements of any state or federal law that comes down for humanoids. This could be a better approach than having states develop regulations before a standard like ISO 4448 can come into being.
Final Thoughts
I expect delivery robots and other public mobile robots to continue to roll out in the future. Hopefully, going forward cities and states really leverage and use standards like ISO 4448. However, it is clear that due to the race by some companies to craft legislation that would help them and their robots get to market, we now need a clearer patchwork of regulations from state to state, town to town. Until this happens, the delivery robot market will have to move slower than if they had started with a baseline standard.
The Legislation on the books was written by lawyers who probably didn’t have a complete technology view of the situation and definitely were not going to be in it for the long term to update and maintain the regulations. On the other hand, if the Legislation was based on an existing standard, all that is needed is for the Standards Organization to maintain and update the standard as needed without always having to go back to the Legislators. All the Law needs to do is reference the standard and enforce it. If they want to add additional items then that is that government body, but the core of the law is just the standard.
Hopefully, the tale of the Delivery Robot Industries’ regulation journey will inspire others like the Humanoid Industry to follow in their footsteps.
Robot News Of The Week
Robotics investments top $1.3B in July
Robotics companies raised about $1.3 billion in July 2024 across 47 deals, slightly above the 12-month average of $1.2 billion. Total investments for the first seven months of 2024 reached $9.7 billion, a significant increase from $8 billion during the same period in 2023. June 2024 saw a spike of $2.7 billion, boosted by major investments in autonomous vehicle companies.
Key investments in July include $300 million for Applied Intuition and Skild AI, both leading software firms in the robotics space. Notable deals also included $175 million for Saronic’s autonomous surface vessels and $133 million for Monarch Tractor’s expansion of its autonomous farming technology.
NYC still hasn’t found new use for K5 police droid, nearly a year after piloting it
Nearly a year after launching the K5 security robot in Times Square, NYC Mayor Eric Adams’ administration has yet to find a new purpose for the bot. Initially introduced as a crime-fighting tool, K5's pilot program ended, and it currently remains unused. Despite the mayor's suggestions of a new pilot, his office confirmed there are no current contracts or specific deployment plans for the robot, which faced criticism for its cost and effectiveness. Critics argue the robot's utility as a surveillance tool remains unproven.
Oregon factory will start producing humanoid robots by the end of the year
Agility Robotics’ new RoboFab facility in southeast Salem will start mass-producing humanoid robots called Digit by the end of 2024. These robots, designed to perform repetitive tasks in warehouses, are already being tested by Amazon. The 70,000-square-foot factory will serve as Agility’s main manufacturing hub, aiming to produce up to 10,000 robots per year. Agility, founded by Oregon State University professor Jonathan Hurst, plans to employ 500 people and hopes its robots will enhance human work environments by handling mundane and hazardous tasks.
Robot Research In The News
A UK study suggests that enhancing service robots with local cues like national flags, lighting, and music can make them more acceptable to solo customers in hospitality settings. These elements help reduce the perceived "creepiness" of robots, enhancing social connectedness for solo diners and travelers. The research aims to help hospitality businesses create more comfortable environments for solo guests interacting with AI service robots.
If robots could lie, would we be okay with it? A new study throws up intriguing results
A new study explored whether people would accept robots that lie, finding that acceptance depends on the context. While some participants viewed lying robots as untrustworthy, others saw them as helpful if the lie served a protective or beneficial purpose. The study raises ethical questions about programming robots to deceive, highlighting the complexity of human-robot interactions and the moral implications of robotic behavior. The findings suggest a nuanced approach to robot programming, balancing honesty with practical considerations.
Robot Workforce Story Of The Week
University of Texas Launches Nation’s First Robotics Program for Freshman Applicants
The University of Texas at Austin has launched the first undergraduate robotics program in the U.S. that allows high school students to apply directly as freshmen. This honors program immerses students from day one in an interdisciplinary curriculum featuring hands-on research, engineering, and computer science courses, and participation in Texas Robotics events.
UT President Jay Hartzell highlights the program’s integration of robotics, AI, and top-tier engineering and computer science education, offering unparalleled academic and real-world experiences with access to renowned faculty and industry networks.
Students will benefit from state-of-the-art facilities, personalized advising, and exclusive access to clubs, organizations, and internships that were previously only available in master's programs. They will pursue degrees in aerospace, electrical and computer engineering, computational engineering, computer science, or mechanical engineering, with a minor in robotics.
Peter Stone, Director of Texas Robotics, expresses excitement about the impact these students will have on the world, as the program prepares them to become future innovators. Applications are due by December 1 through the Common App or Apply Texas, with an additional essay required on the applicant’s interest in robotics.
Robot Video Of The Week
A viral video shows a dog amusingly acting as a "manager" after his owner bought a robot vacuum. The dog, named Mason, oversees the vacuum's operation, seemingly supervising it as it moves around the house. Mason’s behavior has charmed viewers, with many finding his antics adorable and amusing as he takes on this self-appointed role.
Upcoming Robot Events
Sept. 9-14 IMTS (Chicago, IL)
Oct. 1-3 International Robot Safety Conference (Cincinnati, OH)
Oct. 7 Humanoid Robot Forum (Memphis, TN)
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Oct. 14-18 International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (Abu Dhabi)
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Oct. 23-26 International Conference on Social Robotics (Odense, Denmark)
Oct. 28-Nov. 1 ASTM Intl. Conference on Advanced Manufacturing (Atlanta, GA)
Nov. 22-24 Humanoids 2024 (Nancy, France)
Jan. 21-24 Intl. Symposium on System Integrations (Munich)
Mar. 4-6 Intl. Conference on Human-Robot Interaction (Melbourne)
Mar. 21-23 Intl. Conference on Robotics and Intelligent Technology (Macau)
May 12-15 Automate (Detroit, MI)
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