By HALELUYA HADERO
Amazon has announced a new technology designed to assist delivery drivers, aiming to eliminate the need to organize packages at each stop and manually verify the correct parcels for each delivery.
The technology, known as Vision-Assisted Package Retrieval (VAPR), is intended to reduce the time and physical effort required for drivers to retrieve packages, according to Doug Herrington, Amazon’s retail chief, who spoke at a company event in Nashville on Wednesday.
Amazon plans to deploy 1,000 delivery vans equipped with this technology by early next year.
VAPR functions by projecting a green “0” onto packages that need to be delivered and a red “X” on those that should remain in the van, once the Amazon delivery van arrives at the customer’s location. The system also uses audio and visual cues to confirm the correct package has been located, Amazon stated.
The Seattle-based company has been beta-testing the new system with its Delivery Service Partners, the businesses that carry out package deliveries for Amazon across the country. Early tests have indicated that the technology reduces the “perceived physical and mental effort” for drivers, reportedly saving them over 30 minutes per route.
HALELUYA HADERO covers online shopping and technology with a focus on Amazon, TikTok and internet culture for The Associated Press.
