(Amazon Photo)
Amazon is scaling back its work on Scout, the package delivery robot that appears like a cooler on wheels.
“During our limited field test for Scout, we worked to create a singular delivery experience, but learned through feedback that there have been points of this system that weren’t meeting customers’ needs,” an Amazon spokesperson said. “Because of this, we’re ending our field tests and reorienting this system. We’re working with employees during this transition, matching them to open roles that best fit their experience and skills.”
Bloomberg first reported the news Thursday, noting that there have been about 400 people working on the Scout team.
Amazon began rolling out Scout in 2019, with tests within the Seattle area and later expanded to Southern California, Atlanta, and Franklin, Tenn.
The robots autonomously followed their delivery route and were accompanied by an “Amazon Scout Ambassador” during testing.
“We’re completely satisfied to welcome Amazon Scout to our growing suite of revolutionary delivery solutions for patrons and look ahead to taking the learnings from this primary neighborhood so Amazon Scout can, over time, provide much more sustainability and convenience to customer deliveries,” Amazon wrote in a blog post introducing Scout in 2019.
Sean Scott, a longtime Amazon leader who was most recently vp of Scout, left in January 2021.
There are various startups developing sidewalk robots for the “last mile” of delivery, including Starship Technologies, Nuro, Serve Robotics, Coco, Tortoise, and many more.
Amazon recently ended work on Glow, its video-calling device made for youths, and axed Amazon Care, its primary care service.
Amazon said earlier this yr it was determined to get costs under control and return its consumer business to profitability, after doubling its achievement capability and hiring tons of of hundreds of staff to satisfy demand throughout the pandemic.
The corporate is freezing hiring for corporate roles in its retail business, in accordance with a report from The Latest York Times on Tuesday, joining others including Meta and Google which can be slashing budgets amid the broader economic downturn.
