A scenario-based feasibility analysis of autonomous robot deliveries

Abstract

Autonomous robot deliveries have been considered as one of the ways to augment delivery resources in urban areas. Their high initial cost and strict operation regulations are often seen as the main barriers in this regard. However, a rise in demand of home deliveries and contactless deliveries in the wake of current COVID-19 pandemic has increased interest in autonomous delivery robots. This study presents a scenario-based feasibility analysis of autonomous deliveries using real data of two freight companies in Osaka, Japan. The minimum number of autonomous robots has been estimated in various delivery and cost scenarios and compared with the actual delivery operations. It was found that if current initial costs can be reduced due to mass production, autonomous robots with mothership vehicles can result in similar costs compared with truck deliveries along with the added advantage of low environmental impact. Furthermore, a simple index, counting the number of human-to-human interactions in delivery operations has been used to show the advantages of autonomous robot deliveries in case of pandemics.