Amazon, the world’s largest online retailer, is taking steps toward using humanoid robots for last-mile delivery—the final leg of getting packages from a local hub to customers’ front doors. The company has already set up a test course in San Francisco to explore this futuristic delivery method.
Testing Robots in a Custom-Built Obstacle Course
According to The Information (via Electrek), Amazon has begun developing software specifically designed to control humanoid robots for delivering packages. The long-term vision is to have these robots take over many of the duties currently handled by human delivery drivers.
In San Francisco—home to one of Amazon’s major offices—the company has reportedly built a specialized test facility. At its center is what insiders are calling a “humanoid park,” essentially an obstacle course created to simulate real-world delivery scenarios. So far, Amazon’s focus has been primarily on the software side of the equation.
Robots Built by Partners, Powered by Amazon AI
Rather than manufacturing its own robots, Amazon is reportedly partnering with third-party robotics companies to supply the physical machines. Amazon’s role is to develop the advanced AI and control systems that guide these robots. The idea is that in the future, robots could step out of Amazon’s electric delivery vans and bring packages directly to customers’ doors.
The company is already running preliminary tests with a prototype delivery vehicle carrying humanoid robots onboard. One of the robot suppliers mentioned is Unitree, a Chinese robotics manufacturer known for showcasing advanced humanoid models.
Expanding Beyond Warehouses
Currently, Amazon uses robots extensively within its fulfillment and delivery centers, mainly to handle repetitive tasks like sorting and transporting packages. Just yesterday, the company announced new AI-powered warehouse robots designed to reduce processing times and increase efficiency.
With its new initiative, Amazon is aiming to push robotic automation beyond the warehouse and into the streets—quite literally. Once testing on the obstacle course is complete, Amazon plans to conduct real-world trials with its delivery robots outside controlled environments.