Meet Digit: A Smart Little Robot That Could Change The Way Self-Driving Cars Make Deliveries

Digit is a two-legged robot designed and built by Agility Robotics to not only approximate the look of a human, but to walk like one, too.

By Dr. Ken Washington, Vice President, Ford Research and Advanced Engineering, and Chief Technology Officer

Here’s an understatement: People like online shopping.

It’s easy to see why. One-click shopping and perks like two-day delivery are extremely convenient, but they are taking a toll on our cities and neighborhoods. The U.S. Postal Service alone delivered more than 6 billion packages in 2018, or double the volume it was handling about 10 years ago.

To help address this issue, Ford is teaming up with Agility Robotics to explore a brand-new frontier in the world of autonomy?—?and a new way of thinking about how we make deliveries. Together, we will work toward making sure self-driving vehicles are uniquely outfitted to accomplish something that’s proven surprisingly difficult to do: Carry out that final step of getting your delivery from the car to your door.

Read the full post on Medium.