Amazon (AMZN, Financial) has developed a new system to enhance delivery efficiency by reducing the time needed for each package drop-off. This initiative aims to help customers make quicker purchasing decisions, even for new product types they may be less familiar with. Recently, Amazon announced the installation of spotlights on delivery trucks, which guide drivers to find packages at each stop. The technology, known as "Vision Assisted Package Retrieval," uses green light to illuminate packages, eliminating the need for drivers to spend time reading labels.
Amazon plans to equip 1,000 active delivery trucks with this technology early next year. This system is reminiscent of the technology used extensively in Amazon warehouses, where items on robot-assisted shelves are illuminated for workers to pick and place into bins. This replaces the previous method where workers walked up to 10 miles a day in narrow aisles to locate stored items.
Reducing delivery time by just a few seconds per package allows Amazon to increase the number of deliveries each worker can make per shift. Currently, delivery workers can serve approximately 100 customers a day.
Additionally, during an event near a warehouse in Nashville, Tennessee, Amazon revealed its use of new artificial intelligence software. This AI reduces the time needed to research new products like televisions and pet food. The Seattle-based company stated that online guides will now include broader information and suggestions, enabling customers to make quicker and more informed decisions. This new feature follows an earlier announcement of an AI search function added to Amazon's main site, known as "Rufus," which provides users with longer search answers.
