Pizza Delivery in Snow No Problem With Yandex Delivery Robot
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Yandex NV, Russia’s largest internet company, is rolling out a suitcase-sized robot that will attempt to deliver take-out despite Moscow’s winter snowstorms.
Similar to delivery robots used by Amazon.com or Starship Technologies Inc., Yandex’s Rover will focus on delivering meals ordered via Yandex.Eats, a food-delivery app, part of a joint venture with Uber Technologies Inc., according to a statement Nov. 7.
The robot is also being tested with a tough chassis to let it pass road curbs or drifts of snow without damaging its cargo. Rover will be able to distinguish between heavy snow or water splashes from real obstacles on the road.
Yandex has already tested its self-driving cars in Moscow’s snowy and rainy conditions. The city has subzero temperatures for about five months of the year, and snow height can reach more than three feet.
Besides food delivery, Yandex’s Rover also may be used in the company’s e-commerce warehouse operations and for delivering parcels. Yandex is also considering selling the robots to third-party companies after its testing period.
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