1 week Ago
Parcel delivery firm Evri announced on April 1st, 2025, the launch of its robotic delivery dog trials in the UK. On April 2nd, the firm admitted that this wasn’t an elaborate April Fool’s prank but a very real initiative aimed at transforming the parcel delivery industry. Further details indicate that the trials will begin in Barnsley this summer.
As part of the trial, these autonomous robot delivery dogs will work with human couriers to deliver parcels. The robot has been developed by partner RIVR to change how last-mile delivery is addressed. According to RIVR, the robotic dog is able to jump in and out of courier vans to deliver parcels.
If successful, this will enable couriers to remain in their vehicles while the robot posts the parcel to each address. One of the company’s summer trials will involve another robot developed by Delivers AI to deliver parcels as part of a daily rotation. The robot will operate from its home base at the Barnsley Business Innovation Centre in South Yorkshire.
Residents of selected streets can opt-in and receive all their deliveries by these robots over a three-month trial period. The primary benefits of these robots are that they can operate throughout the day and night and reduce the physical load human couriers must shoulder as part of their duties. If successful, it’s expected that these robots will be integrated into Evri’s day-to-day operations, with further trials expanded to other areas of the UK.
It’s widely considered to be a watershed moment for the industry, with delivery companies across the world working to make these tools an efficient and cost-effective part of how delivery companies like Evri operate..
