Amazon has stopped testing its home-delivery robot “Scouts,” which is the latest indication that the e-commerce giant is beginning to phase out experimental initiatives as sales growth slows. According to a report by the New York Postthe cooler-sized six-wheel vehicles, which were supposed to transport products right up to the front door, will be put on hold for the time being, but Amazon has stated it may revisit the idea in the future.
The company did not provide clarity, although several witnesses said it struggled to get past obstacles on the sidewalk, such as garbage or other small materials.
As quoted by the New York Post, Amazon spokesperson Alisa Carroll said, “During our limited Scout field test, we worked to create a unique delivery experience, but feedback has given us the insight that there were aspects of the program that did not meet customer needs.”
According to Ms. Carroll, more than 400 individuals around the world worked on the project seeking anonymity to discuss a private situation. The concept of an autonomous robot will be considered by a skeleton staff, but the current iteration will not function, reported Bloomberg.
The Seattle-based company began testing its color-format robots on the streets of Seattle before expanding trials to Southern California, Georgia and Tennessee. During the trial, the slow-moving machines had to stop at a front door and open their lids so that a consumer could pick up a gift.
According to Amazon, the battery-powered robots are part of an initiative to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from delivery Bloomberg.
According to the LinkedIn page of Sean Scott, the vice president in charge of development of the robot who left the company last year, Amazon was still hosting meet-and-greets in places where the gadgets were sold just a few months ago. tested.
Amazon is responding to slower growth in its core retail segment under CEO Andy Jassy, with some initiatives being postponed and others canceled. The company is known for funding daring experiments that could take years to realize, with a portfolio of cashless stores, flying delivery drones and a satellite network that promises to beam internet access around the world.