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Time of India
6 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
'Designed to ride elevators, board trains': China deploys robots on trains for delivery; stores stocked without staff
In a first-of-its-kind move, the Chinese city of Shenzhen has started using autonomous delivery robots inside its subway network to restock 7-Eleven convenience stores located at various stations, South China Morning Post reported. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The project, which began on Monday, involves 41 robots operated by VX Logistics, a subsidiary of property developer Vanke. Vanke is partly owned by Shenzhen Metro. According to a report by local news outlet SZNews, as cited by SCMP, these metre-tall robots are designed to ride elevators, get on and off platforms, board trains, and deliver goods to stores across the subway system. SZNews reported, as cited by SCMP, that the robots travel during off-peak hours and automatically exit at designated stations where 7-Eleven outlets are located. The machines then carry out deliveries that were earlier done manually by staff. "In the past, delivery workers had to park above ground, unload goods, and manually push them into subway stations," Li Yanyan, a manager at one of the 7-Eleven stores involved in the project, told SZNews, as quoted by South China Morning Post. "Now, with robots, it's much easier and more convenient." The initiative is aimed at reducing the logistical challenges faced by shop staff working in metro stations. On their first day, the robots drew attention from passengers who stopped to take pictures as they lined up inside train carriages. The delivery system will be used to supply more than 100 7-Eleven stores located inside Shenzhen's subway stations. "These robots are specially designed with unique chassis systems that allow them to cross gaps to enter lifts and carriages," said Hou Shangjie, head of automation at VX Logistics, as quoted by SCMP. "They will continue to iterate based on real-world performance."
South China Morning Post
6 days ago
- Business
- South China Morning Post
In China, delivery robots now ride the subway to restock 7-Eleven stores
Subway trains across the southern Chinese megacity of Shenzhen welcomed an unusual new set of passengers on Monday, as the city deployed a fleet of delivery robots to restock convenience stores scattered around its subway system. Dozens of squat delivery robots have now begun riding subway trains across the network during off-peak hours, exiting at each station where a 7-Eleven is located to make deliveries, according to a report by local news outlet SZNews. The project is the first of its kind in the world and marks the latest step in Shenzhen's push to expand the use of robots from the factory floor to other areas of urban life, the report said. The metre-tall robots – operated by a logistics subsidiary of the Chinese property giant Vanke, which is part-owned by Shenzhen Metro – are capable of autonomously riding lifts, entering and exiting platforms, boarding trains and delivering goods to 7-Eleven stores across the city, according to SZNews. The 41 robots reportedly caused a stir during their first day on the job, as passengers gathered around them to snap photos as they lined up inside the carriages. But the project is not simply a public relations stunt; it aims to solve a long-standing logistical problem faced by retail outlets inside Shenzhen's subway stations. 'In the past, delivery workers had to park above ground, unload goods, and manually push them into subway stations,' Li Yanyan, a manager at one of the 7-Eleven stores involved in the project, told SZNews. 'Now, with robots, it's much easier and more convenient.'
