You've got mail: Japan Post delivery robot debuts in Tokyo

Japan Post Co. unveiled Wednesday a self-driving mail delivery robot as demand grows for minimizing human contact amid the coronavirus pandemic. Using built-in cameras and sensors, the robot -- which is the size of a wheelchair -- operated on a sidewalk in Tokyo's Chiyoda Ward, dodging obstacles such as utility poles, and crossed an intersection with traffic lights. The robot is in the middle of a series of test runs that began on Sept. 18 and runs through late October. One of the tests involves the robot traveling 700 meters from a convenience store in a hospital to a local post office in about 25 minutes. The red DeliRo robot developed by ZMP Inc. is capable of carrying packages weighing up to 30 kilograms at a speed of 6 kilometers per hour, according to Japan Post, which aims to put the self-driving delivery robots into practical use in fiscal 2021.