US: Google files patent for driverless delivery system | Progresiv

Google has declared its interest in developing driverless delivery systems by filing a patent for what it calls its 'autonomous delivery platform'. The patent, filed earlier this month, describes an 'autonomous road vehicle [that] is operative to receive destination information, and to drive to a destination based on the destination information'.

The driverless road vehicle would contain a series of lockers that customers could unlock using their designated PIN code or credit card. The truck would be programmed to move on to its next destination or return to the depot once a package is unloaded.

Although the vehicles are far from being a reality (the patent doesn't describe how the technology would work), it would presumably act as competition to Amazon's drone delivery system, should it ever be developed. Google has already started testing driverless cars.

Amazon's Prime Air drone delivery system is further along in development, but has been hit by regulatory problems, particularly in the US, where concerns have been raised over commercial devices in airspace. (www.esmmagazine.com)