Ford Motor Company has filed a patent for last mile travel routes for robots, Ford Authority has learned.
The patent was filed on August 20th, 2021, published on February 23rd, 2023, and assigned serial number 0058639.
The Ford Authority Take
Ford has filed a handful of patents outlining different ways to perform last-mile deliveries in recent months, including one for a vehicle-mounted aerial drone container, a vehicle-based package delivery system, and an air to ground last-mile delivery system, to name just a few. Now, this newly-filed Ford patent keeps that trend going by introducing an idea for last mile travel routes for robots.
With online shopping soaring to new heights in recent years, last mile delivery services have experienced tremendous growth, to the point where companies have had trouble keeping up. As such, this Ford patent explores ways for robots to move packages from a curb or road to a package drop-off location at a residence or business.
To accomplish this task, a delivery robot would need to have sensors to be able to detect other objects, as well as have the capability to cross anything from a paved road or driveway to grassy surfaces such as yards. The Ford patent notes that the delivery robots would also be programmed to follow pre-determined routes that are mapped out ahead of time.
Alternatively, customers that request robot delivery would also be able to take a photo of the front of their house and send it to the company, which could then convert that image into a travel map. It’s an interesting idea for certain, and one that may very well come to fruition given the explosive growth in online sales in recent years.
We’ll have more on this and all Ford patents soon, so be sure and subscribe to Ford Authority for the latest Ford patent news, Ford business news, and comprehensive Ford news coverage.
Comments
And what will our lazy people do then?
Oh hi I Am K-street Sam I Am!
I’m more wondering: “what new mischief Big Oil’s bad faith K-street tag team troll farm is up to now that its business model is in shambles?”
And I don’t understand the point of your lazy people comment, or the angle you are coming from.
Maybe it’s due to the shell shock of not being able to easily make drive-by disinformation dumps?
My angle I’m at is this—–we are trying to turn this world’s labor over to robots, while the younger (and mid)generation is sitting at home playing video games—or playing with their electronics.
When they grow up they will want to work minimum hours, so they can be on workers comp.
Hope you didn’t need me to make you see this—and if it did—wake up,—-fast!
“Playing with their electronics…” Truly LoL.
Old people watch a younger person scan a document or put an appointment into their iPhone calendar and for them because of their own STEM illiteracy see it as nothing more than playing with gadgets.
Truly LoL. It’s the younger and mid generation that will take us to the next step, not the older ones.
But I have to tell you(it seems you don’t know)they need influence from the older ones.
I don’t your age–but I sensing influence will not come from the likes of you.