Delivery Robot Retooled for Better Speed, Sharper Turns

Autonomous robot company Avride has unveiled a new model of its sidewalk delivery robot the company said will improve the efficiency and safety of deliveries. 

The announcement comes just weeks after Uber inked a deal with Avride for its sidewalk delivery robots to fulfill food orders in Austin placed through Uber Eats. 

The new model deviates from the Avride classic six-wheel robot. After six generations, the company has transitioned from six wheels to four to give the bot more capabilities.

The change was due to some drawbacks to the bot, which was designed to drive straight and make turns, providing stability and confidence in various environments. For instance, it didn’t have a steering wheel, so the robot had to brake one wheel to turn, creating additional friction during turns, impacting energy consumption and leading to faster tire wear. It also had lower maneuverability and less precise trajectory execution, especially on inclined surfaces.

Avride said improving the design significantly enhances not just the efficiency of the robot, but also its average speed, especially in high pedestrian traffic areas. 

With the new four-wheel chassis, the robot wheels are mounted on movable arms attached to a pivoting axle. To adjust the turning angle, a wheel shifts slightly forward or backward along a circular path centered on where the arm connects, allowing the wheels to rotate both inward and outward, minimizing friction during turns. It does not rely on conventional front and rear axles, and the wheels are mechanically paired on each side allowing for simultaneous adjustment when turning for both wheels.

Related:Uber to Offer Even More Self-Driving Taxis, Delivery Robots

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“Our robots can now make a 180-degree turn almost instantly,” Avride said. “This is particularly useful for navigating narrow sidewalks, where the robot might need to reverse to make way for people with limited mobility.”

Parking is also better with the new design, since the wheels can be set in a cross pattern, keeping the robot from rolling away. 

Avride also introduced an advanced control system with a control algorithm that can calculate the exact angles the robot needs for its wheels to follow its designated path. It can also determine the required torque for each wheel. 

In the new design, Avride’s robots still have two steering motors for increased reliability. 

“If one of the drive motors fails, the steering motor will handle the wheel’s positioning, and the remaining three drive motors will provide enough power to keep the robot moving until it can be picked up for repair,” the company said. “This feature enhances the robot’s autonomy and ensures reliable service without requiring a human assistant to be present in the area of operations.”

Related:New Self-Driving Taxis, Bots Testing in Austin

Because people are still getting used to delivery robots, Avride said it designed the latest version to look friendly and approachable with an animated LED panel.

It has various eye expressions and helps create a sense of interaction. Avride said its panel animations can be themed for various holidays or events. 

The new robot runs on Nvidia’s Jetson Orin platform that gives Avride’s robots neural networks as sophisticated as those found in the company's full-size autonomous vehicles, allowing it to process, in real time, sensor data, including lidar sensor inputs and camera feeds.

The robot also has an upgraded cargo compartment that is fully detachable, allowing for easy swapping out between compartments needed for specific deliveries.  

Avride said the robot soon will be dispatched for deliveries in the Mueller neighborhood in Austin, where Avride robots have been delivering local restaurant orders since last year. As manufacturing continues, they are expected to gradually join the company’s fleet.