Amazon, Finally Acquires Autonomous Delivery Robot Startup Refuel… Strengthens Self-Driving Delivery

Amazon has acquired Rivr, a startup specializing in last-mile delivery robots. Based in Switzerland, Rivr is known for its four-legged robot called “Rivr Two.” Designed specifically for last-mile delivery—bringing packages directly to customers’ doors—this robot can carry loads of up to 60 pounds (about 27 kilograms). It can travel at speeds of up to 8.7 miles per hour (about 14 kilometers per hour) and supports advanced features such as stopping at traffic lights, opening doors, and climbing stairs.

Rivr Two incorporates multiple safety features to minimize collision risks. It is equipped with bright lights and includes a physical disable button. The robot can be used in various scenarios, such as retail stores delivering goods directly to customers or logistics companies deploying it inside their trucks to handle delivery tasks in parallel.

Amazon plans to prioritize the latter application. The tech giant relies on its extensive delivery network to deliver products to online shoppers. With Amazon’s decision to incorporate Rivr’s technology, it is expected to conduct pilot tests with logistics contractors.

Rivr’s AI software is also likely to be applied to other parts of Amazon’s supply chain. The technology uses a training framework that combines supervised and unsupervised learning methods, making it suitable for developing various autonomous machines. Amazon is expected to leverage this to upgrade the AI capabilities of over one million robots in its warehouses.

Previously, Amazon acquired autonomous vehicle startup Zoox for $1.2 billion (about 1.44 trillion Korean won) and has been testing Zoox’s technology in multiple cities. The acquisition of Rivr is expected to help Amazon integrate autonomous delivery vehicles into a complete last-mile delivery automation process.