Mind the Robot
Know that famous London warning; ‘mind the gap’? The one that’s meant to stop commuters and tourists from injuring themselves when getting off the tube? Well there may be a new saying in London town - ‘Mind the robot’.
Courier company Hermes, which delivers for heaps of companies (often have they brought me my latest pay day treat), is introducing a trial of self-driving robots in Southwark, a London borough.
The robots will have six wheels and Hermes will send them out on missions within a two mile radius of its control centre. They’ll also be challenged with 30 minute turn around slots to see how speedy they are.
And before you have any naughty thoughts that you could intervene and take the robot’s goods.. the precious cargo is in a secure compartment which customers can open with a code.
During the trial, there’ll be one supervisor to watch over three robots. But it’s hoped that in time there could be one operator watching over 100.
Think of how many robots would be weaving their way down the streets between all the pedestrians – dodging the umbrellas in London is bad enough!
But the thinking is that these robots would be safer than drones – remember how a drone recently went dangerously close a plane in China?
I’m not sure though… Going back to that ‘mind the gap’ warning, it seems that despite the reminder for caution, 400% more people have been falling between the platform and the train in the last 10 years.
The reality is that London is a big city with lots of people; adding more potential hazards – isn’t really ideal. Why not stick to deliveries by vans – we know that works!
Courier company Hermes, which delivers for heaps of companies (often have they brought me my latest pay day treat), is introducing a trial of self-driving robots in Southwark, a London borough.
The robots will have six wheels and Hermes will send them out on missions within a two mile radius of its control centre. They’ll also be challenged with 30 minute turn around slots to see how speedy they are.
And before you have any naughty thoughts that you could intervene and take the robot’s goods.. the precious cargo is in a secure compartment which customers can open with a code.
During the trial, there’ll be one supervisor to watch over three robots. But it’s hoped that in time there could be one operator watching over 100.
Think of how many robots would be weaving their way down the streets between all the pedestrians – dodging the umbrellas in London is bad enough!
But the thinking is that these robots would be safer than drones – remember how a drone recently went dangerously close a plane in China?
I’m not sure though… Going back to that ‘mind the gap’ warning, it seems that despite the reminder for caution, 400% more people have been falling between the platform and the train in the last 10 years.
The reality is that London is a big city with lots of people; adding more potential hazards – isn’t really ideal. Why not stick to deliveries by vans – we know that works!
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