Are Delivery Robots Really Ready for Prime Time?

• Estonian startup Clevon has launched parcel delivery and pickup operations in the US, starting in a suburb of two major cities, in the AllianceTexas Mobility Innovation Zone (MIZ).

• The company's ARC delivery robot uses city streets like a car, working as part of Texas shipping company PostNet.

• Several startups, including Nuro AI, are making efforts to scale last-mile delivery robots in the US and overseas, in anticipation of growing demand from businesses and customers alike.

The early months of the pandemic saw a tremendous surge in demand for delivery robots of all sizes, from small units about as large as a push mower, to something closer in size to a Smart ForTwo.

The past few years have also seen a fair amount of autonomous vehicle testing on roads in the US, but even in that short period of time, no one single industry has embraced autonomous delivery as its sole means of goods transport.

As for just what type of robot could soon become more commonplace, there are some early front runners—and we're getting a clearer picture of what, exactly, they'll likely be bringing to your home.

One of latest hopefuls in this arena is Estonian-based startup Clevon, which began operations in a Texas suburb earlier this year with its own delivery robots, units similar in size and shape to Nuro's R2. Clevon's robots have been working with shipping and printing company PostNet, delivering parcels in Northlake, Texas, just outside of Dallas and Fort Worth.

Once PostNet schedules a convenient delivery time with each customer, the company's Autonomous Robot Carriers (ARCs) deliver parcels to their homes for curbside pickup from the interior of the ARC, or parcel pickup. This allows those who operate home businesses to have a delivery robot pick up parcels right from their home.

Clevon's ARC is electric and features a modular design that can be adapted for a range of businesses, from those delivering parcels and groceries to larger items such as appliances.

With a length of just over eight feet and a height of five feet, the ARC is large enough to use neighborhood streets, traveling at a top speed of 18 mph, but small enough not to inconvenience traffic when parked. A range of 50 miles allows it an uptime of about five hours between recharges.

The launch of delivery operations for Postnet in Northlake follow Clevon's move of its US headquarters to Texas, and to the AllianceTexas Mobility Innovation Zone (MIZ).