Supporters say proposed legislation to allow the robots would make the state the first in the nation to regulate such devices.
State lawmakers partnered with European company Starship Technologies on bills allowing Virginia cities to join two others in the U.S. and many across Europe where the company is testing its largely autonomous earthbound robots. Much like other tech companies' attempts at airborne drone deliveries, Starship aims to revolutionise the way people get their parcels.
Representatives from the company visited Richmond on Wednesday for a demonstration. With six wheels, a top that swings open and a flag for visibility, Starship's compact "personal delivery devices" are designed to carry goods within a 2- to 3-mile radius. They can hold up to 22 pounds, or about three shopping bags' worth of goods. Recipients can unlock them with a smartphone app.
"When I first saw it, I thought, 'Oh, a cooler on wheels,'" said Del. Ron Villanueva, who's sponsoring the House bill.
But the Republican became more interested upon hearing about the robot's uses. He says it could benefit consumers, who are relying more and more on e-commerce, as well as logistics management companies. Starship, led by Skype co-founders, also promotes the devices as a more environmentally friendly way to deal with local deliveries.
"Big vans — stopping and starting, polluting. It's so inefficient, and our little robots are best optimised for those sort of deliveries," said Starship spokesman Henry Harris-Burland.
The company says the robots could also get groceries to homebound people at a fraction of the cost of current delivery services and help expand access to healthy groceries.
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