How did the robot cross the road? It didn’t
Residents say pavements congested as risk-averse autonomous delivery vehicles queue up at kerbs
ROBOTS intended to deliver shopping speedily to Cambridge residents without creating congestion, or incurring the expense of a fleet of vans, appear to be encountering the same problems as humans.
The autonomous vehicles have been seen forming long queues to cross roads, waiting for pedestrian crossings to turn green and even asking passersby for help.
The Starship Technology robots have been seen swerving to avoid growling dogs and the fingers of curious children, and residents have complained that they clutter up pavements at pedestrian crossings.
“They form lines and go back to their charging base together sometimes, and you see them waiting patiently to cross the road,” said one resident, a software engineer. “I’ve also seen them start to cross the road, but get half-way across and the lights go red so they reverse and go back again.”
Naomi Davies, an artist, watched as seven of them queued through three traffic light changes before one finally took the plunge and crossed the road. Another robot in the group asked a pedestrian to press the button at the crossing. At the corner of Davy Road and Coleridge Road, Ms Davies said she “waited for three traffic light cycles and one eventually crossed. I thought the first one was going to go when the lights changed, but it just started manoeuvring, shuffled a bit and stopped.
“One of the robots asked a lady if she would press the button – I think she was rather surprised a robot was speaking to her.” There have been numerous such encounters between human and machine. Emma Perry, 29, a student, was walking home on Friday morning when her dog, Tally, lunged at a passing robot. She said: “I think they’re quite cool, but my dog doesn’t really like them and barks at them. Someone told me they will stop and wait for you to get out of their way if you are standing in front of them.” Moments later, another robot waiting to cross at a road junction asked The Telegraph’s photographer, in a male voice: “Would you please press the traffic light button?” before adding a polite: “Thank you.” Gary Dadd, a painter and illustrator, said: “I think they’re amazing. I’m kind of shocked it’s happened on my street corner because that somehow feels incongruous.” Paula Weidemuller, 27, said: “The robots seem… programmed to avoid people and wait for cars to pass. I love them.”
But Kathy, 63, a civil servant, was not impressed. She worried: “They could knock over an old person as they lurch forward.”
Starship Technologies launched the trial scheme last month for Cambridgeshire County Council, after a similar trial in the village of Cambourne in May.
Green campaigners have said the scheme will not work on the city’s congested streets and pavements.
Ann, an 81-year-old who lives near Cherry Hinton Road, said: “[A robot] stopped near me and we both stood still a bit before each of us went our own way.” The pensioner added: “I wasn’t sure I was going to approve of them at first but they moved quite slowly and they are brightly lit up with lights,
‘The robots seem to have been programmed to avoid people and wait for cars to pass before crossing’
although I suppose a blind person wouldn’t see them.”
The 80lb robot’s cameras and 3D navigation technology can detect when pedestrian crossing signals turn green or red and at junctions without pedestrian crossings, scan the surrounding area to ensure no vehicles are turning into its path before proceeding.
Starship Technologies said the robots use 12 cameras, sensors, artificial intelligence and machine learning to navigate. “On the rare occasion assistance is required, the robots can be monitored remotely,” he said, adding: “The robots are not shy in asking a resident for help if they can’t quite reach the button, particularly in a new area they’ve recently started mapping.”