Veho, the technology company that operates a parcel delivery platform in the US, and RIVR, a physical AI and robotics developer, have launched an initiative to improve e-commerce delivery experience and efficiency through the use of parcel delivery robots.
The deployment begins today in Austin, with plans to expand to additional markets later this year based upon learnings during the initial trial. The robots are not intended to replace human delivery drivers.
Rather, they are intended to enable humans to deliver more parcels, faster, with less physical strain, all while maintaining the delivery experience for which Veho is known.
The ability for humans to work with and manage robots performing deliveries may be particularly valuable in dense areas with many deliveries but limited parking.
While a human driver completes one drop-off, the wheeled-legged robot will deliver another, navigating from the delivery vehicle all the way to the customer’s doorstep, placing parcels according to customer’s instructions, while leveraging the Veho app to send a photo of each successful delivery.
During the trial, a RIVR employee will accompany the robot to ensure safety and delivery quality, while Veho and RIVR team members monitor the robot to learn how it performs during real life deliveries.
Veho co-founder and CEO Itamar Zur, says: “Over nine years, Veho has proven that a delivery platform and technology built for e-commerce produces better delivery experiences and economics for consumers and brands.
“This partnership is an exciting next step in reinventing e-commerce delivery and enabling brands to turn shipping from a cost center to a value driver.
“When it comes to delivery, customers care most about its reliability, speed and cost. This partnership will help us learn if a robot working with a human can help reduce delivery costs while improving on-time-delivery and speed, all while maintaining a great delivery and brand experience.”
Veho’s platform enables drivers to deliver millions of packages per month across 50 US metropolitan areas, most recently launching in New York City.
The technology powering Veho’s network of over 30 distribution centers across the US and its app-based platform for 84,000 independent driver-partners was built entirely in-house, making Veho a partner of choice for a robotics and AI leader like RIVR.
Marko Bjelonic, CEO of RIVR, says: “With the exponential rise in e-commerce, the last mile has become the most critical – and complex – link in the logistics chain.
“At RIVR, our mission is to put one million delivery robots into the field, leveraging General Physical AI to scale urban robotics to where it’s needed most.
“Our partnership with Veho is a major milestone on that journey to bring our technology to the US As a leading parcel delivery platform in the US, Veho offers the ideal environment for deploying at scale – helping us deliver not just faster and more cost-effective service, but a smarter, more human-centered model for robotics in logistics.”
RIVR has solved the last-100 yard challenge with the combination of its wheeled-legged design and physical AI, which enables the robot to navigate real-world obstacles like stairs, gates, and uneven terrain – all the way to the consumer’s doorstep.
Unlike sidewalk robots, which are limited to curbside, attended deliveries with low throughput, RIVR’s robot operates in parallel with human drivers and at a speed that makes dense, multi-drop delivery commercially viable.
And while drones offer reach in rural areas, RIVR is purpose-built for the complexity and scale of urban logistics – bringing automation to the final few meters of every delivery.