How autonomous vehicles will change the world

Not too long ago, automated vehicles were the stuff of sci-fi fantasy. Now, they are becoming a reality and expected to integrate into our everyday lives in the next two to 10 years—bringing a number of sought-after benefits. 

Autonomous vehicles are being heralded as the future of technology that will vastly improve road safety, maximize human productivity, overhaul the global supply chain, and shape the smart cities of the future. In fact, a recent McKinsey report predicts that the global revenues from autonomous vehicles in urban areas could reach $1.6 trillion a year in 2030. 

Although completely driverless personal cars are still a while off, there are still several autonomous and semi-autonomous vehicles that are already rapidly changing the industry. Take Kiwibot rolling out delivery robots on university campuses around the US. 

Let’s explore some of the use cases coming to the forefront and how they are set to transform our world for the better: 

Robotic delivery

Without a doubt, robotic delivery is the future of delivery tech. This sector had already been growing pre-pandemic, but two years of social distancing and increased demand for food delivery has accelerated innovation and adoption in this space.

Robotic delivery service is completely overhauling the last mile, one of the most problem-prone and labor-intensive parts of the supply chain. It refers to the final part of the delivery process before a parcel reaches its final destination. Semi-autonomous delivery bots wheel along sidewalks to pick up food, medicines, and other goods from restaurants, pharmacies, and shops to drop off at local locations.

At Kiwibot, we have developed a fully autonomous robotic fleet from Corner to Corner, only needing supervision when crossing a street, as they are equipped with sensors, cameras, lights, and GPS trackers. They are now being rolled out (excuse the pun) in major US cities and across dozens of college campuses. 

We believe that robotic deliveries will be an integral part of developing our sustainable cities of the future: boosting accessibility, reducing congestion, cutting carbon emissions, and connecting local businesses and customers.

“Autonomous vehicles are shaping our future. Although full autonomy is still an unsolved problem, many of us are working on the next revolution that will change the world in a few years,” said our Head of AI & Robotics at Kiwibot, John Betancourt.

Driverless trucks

Autonomous vehicles are poised to overhaul the entirety of the supply chain, not just the last mile. In 2021, there was an 80,000 truck driver shortage in the US alone, and experts predict this could double by 2030. Driverless trucks could not come soon enough. 

McKinsey has reported that fully autonomous commercial trucks could cover 60-70% of all miles driven in the US before 2030. Not only will this fix the labor shortage issue, but it will cut costs, increase efficiency, and reduce carbon emissions for the long-haul, middle-mile, and last-mile delivery. 

Mass adoption of driverless trucks will also dramatically improve road safety. Through 360 scanning ability, onboard sensors, and the sharing of information and alerts to other vehicles through communication systems, these cutting-edge technologies will help to prevent the hundreds of thousands of annual trucking accidents in the US—the majority of which are caused by human error. 

Robotaxis

Back in April, Tesla’s CEO Elon Musk announced plans to start mass production of robotaxis with no steering wheel or pedals by 2024, projecting that a ride in one of Tesla’s autonomous taxis will cost less than a bus or subway ticket. 

Car manufacturer Hyundai is also promising to bring robotaxis to the streets by 2023 to provide passengers with “a spacious, comfortable place to work, relax, or socialize during their driverless ride.” 

Autonomous technology, like this, is predicted to cause a major downturn in private car ownership. It will also improve our daily commute, work-life balance, and productivity. 

Autonomous vehicles are set to completely transform our cities and planet for the better. Get in touch to find out how Kiwibot is leading this revolution in the delivery tech space one bot at a time.