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Video: Totally Non-Threatening FedEx Robot Patrols Streets Of SoHo
By
Jake Offenhartz
Published Nov 22, 2019
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By
Jake Offenhartz
Published Nov 22, 2019
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LaGuardia has robocops, the Navy Yard has robot cars, and now the posh streets of Soho are getting their very own robo-couriers.
In recent days, the FedEx-branded delivery bots have been spotted cruising around Lower Manhattan, much to the bemusement of some pedestrians. "Skynet is sending its soldiers into the streets of NYC," observed one soft, unarmored member of the outgoing human race, who posted on Reddit that they ran into the dancing droid in Soho earlier on Thursday.
SameDay Bot, as we are instructed to call it, was unveiled by FedEx earlier this year, following similar products released by Amazon and Dominos. It can climb stairs, expertly steer around pedestrians using LIDAR sensors, and apparently even handle cobble stone. The tiny vehicles can coast to speeds as high as 10 miles per hour, raising the question: Is it time to force robots to wear helmets?
While widespread adoption of autonomous vehicles is likely decades away, some believe the robot receptacles are the imminent future of customer service. Others are less impressed.
"Never seen it before," said Mark Guim, a photographer who stumbled across the six-wheeled receptacle while getting lunch on Wednesday.
"It was just on the street. It wasn't moving, so don't really have thoughts on it," he added, when pressed for his thoughts on the bot.
The days of getting worked up about a new robot invasion apparently over, we now look forward to peaceful co-habitation on Soho sidewalks with the new automatons...at least until they learn to throw.
Tagged
fedex
autonomous cars
robot
Jake Offenhartz
Jake Offenhartz is a former Gothamist reporter.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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