Daily Times

“Excuse me, coming through,” a four-wheeled robot chirps as it dodges pedestrians on a street outside Tokyo, part of an experiment businesses hope will tackle labour shortages and rural isolation. From April, revised traffic laws will allow self-driving delivery robots to navigate streets across Japan.

Proponents hope the machines could eventually help elderly people in depopulated rural areas get access to goods, while also addressing a shortage of delivery workers in a country with chronic labour shortages. There are challenges to overcome, acknowledges Hisashi Taniguchi, president of Tokyo-based robotics firm ZMP, including safety concerns.

“They are still newcomers in human society, so it’s natural they’re seen with a bit of discomfort,” he told AFP. The robots won’t be operating entirely alone, with humans monitoring remotely and able to intervene. Taniguchi said it’s important the robots “are humble and lovable” to inspire confidence.

ZMP has partnered with behemoths such as Japan Post Holdings in its trials of delivery robots in Tokyo. Its “DeliRo” robot aims for a charming look, featuring big, expressive eyes that can be made teary in sadness if pedestrians block its way. “Every kid around here knows its name,” he said. There is a serious purpose behind the cuteness.

Japan has one of the world’s oldest populations, with nearly 30 percent of its citizens aged over 65. Many live in depopulated rural areas that lack easy access to daily necessities. Labour shortages in its cities and new rules limiting overtime for truck drivers also make it difficult for businesses to keep up with pandemic-fuelled e-commerce and delivery demands.

“The shortage of workers in transport will be a challenge in the future,” said engineer Dai Fujikawa of electronics giant Panasonic, which is trialling delivery robots in Tokyo and nearby Fujisawa. “I hope our robots will be used to take over where needed and help ease the labour crunch,” he told AFP.

Similar robots are already in use in countries such as the United Kingdom and China but there are concerns in Japan about everything from collisions to theft. Regulations set a maximum speed of six kilometres per hour (four miles per hour), meaning the “chances of severe injury in the event of a collision are relatively small”, said Yutaka Uchimura, a robotic engineering professor at Shibaura Institute of Technology (SIT).