Autonomous delivery robots and their potential impacts on urban freight energy consumption and emissions

Abstract

E-Commerce and package deliveries are growing at a fast pace and several start-ups have already began pilot studies to deliver packages and groceries to consumers utilizing Autonomous Delivery Robots (ADRs). Two research questions guide this research effort: (a) What are the existing capabilities of ADRs? and (b) What are the energy and emissions reductions that ADRs can bring about? A model to understand potential ADR energy and emissions reductions is presented and several scenarios are analyzed. Results, insights, and potential implications are discussed. The results show that ADRs have the potential to significantly reduce energy consumption and CO2 emissions in urban areas.