A self-driving robot vehicle has been delivering food and supplies for the past two months to 16 communities in Zibo, eastern China during the coronavirus crisis, according to Mashable.
The van, called Hercules, uses lidars, cameras and deep-learning algorithms to drive itself and can carry as much as 1,000 kilograms in its cargo compartment.
The fleet of vehicles has been operating in two other Chinese cities, in addition to Zibo, since February and has made more than 2,500 trips combined.
In addition to delivering such vital items as meal boxes to checkpoint workers, the van has also served an another purpose by spraying disinfectant near hospitals
Prof. Ming Liu, who is cofounder of Unity Drive Innovation (or UDI), the startup that developed the self-driving van, told IEEE Spectrum that the vehicle provides a “contactless” alternative to regular deliveries and helps reduce the risk of infection between people during the pandemic.
Liu explained that “It’s like Uber for packages - you use your phone to call a robot to pick up and deliver your boxes.”
Brian Freeman ✉
Brian Freeman, a Newsmax writer based in Israel, has more than three decades writing and editing about culture and politics for newspapers, online and television.
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