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Amazon has acquired the Swiss robotics company Rivr, which develops four-legged machines for “doorstep delivery,” as the tech giant invests heavily in automating its warehouse operations.
Amazon laid off 16,000 white-collar workers in January and also cut 100 jobs in March in its robotics division, as the company pursues artificial intelligence “in virtually every corner of the company,” according to CEO Andy Jassy.
Amazon did not publicise the Rivr acquisition but announced the deal sent to third-party delivery contractors, according to CNBC. The Information was the first to report on the deal.
“We want to share that we’ve recently acquired RIVR, a company focused on technology that can help with doorstep delivery,” Amazon wrote in a notice to third-party delivery contractors, which CNBC viewed.
“We believe this technology, when working alongside your [delivery associates], has the potential to further improve safety outcomes and the overall customer experience, particularly in the last steps of the delivery process,” it added.
An Amazon spokesperson told CNBC that the deal “reflects our commitment to a continued investment in research” and efforts to improve safety for its delivery employees.
Amazon uses a network of thousands of third-party contractors that deliver packages exclusively for Amazon from the company’s warehouses to the customer.
Amazon said Rivr’s technology will allow it to help delivery associates “carry packages from delivery vehicles to customer doorsteps,” according to CNBC.