How so? Sure, a few drivers would be replaced. However, the last-mile driver is ...

rasz_pl · on July 25, 2015

Self-pickup/Drop-off wall of drop boxes ... mounted on a self driving truck that sends you sms 10 minutes before showing up, or better yet lets you schedule your own time and place.

Shit, with retarded patent system in US someone is already patenting this as you read my post.

cellis · on July 25, 2015

And if that happens, point to this as prior art!

nso95 · on July 26, 2015

You could also have a drone on the truck that picks up the package and drops it on the doorstep

moe · on July 25, 2015

Sure, a few drivers would be replaced. However, the last-mile driver is also taking care of the doorstep delivery.

I agree that the last-mile driver will stick around for a bit longer, but their number is relatively small.

For example: UPS owns 100k vehicles, worldwide[1].

In comparison, over 3 million people are employed by the transportation industry in the US alone[2].

[1] http://www.ups.com/content/us/en/about/facts/worldwide.html

[2] http://www.bls.gov/emp/ep_table_201.htm

dylanjermiah · on July 25, 2015

By the time SDC are here drones should be prevalent, which will take care of the last mile.

analognoise · on July 25, 2015

Sure, as soon as they solve the battery problem.

throwaway342526 · on July 25, 2015

There is no battery problem for truck-to-door. The truck charges between deliveries and spare swap-in packs pick up any slack if the duty cycle is too high.

aswanson · on July 25, 2015

It doesn't take a lot of battery power to fly a mile.

jacquesm · on July 25, 2015

Depends on the weight of your package.

andyidsinga · on July 25, 2015

in this use case- truck to door, alternatives like compressed air might work ..especially if they can recharge in the truck

jon-wood · on July 25, 2015

I'm trying to think what you'd use compressed air for here, and the only thing I'm coming up with is some sort of parcel cannon, which while awesome does seem to have a few issues.

What am I missing?

kalleboo · on July 25, 2015

To power drones, presumably. You have the example of Tata's compressed-air car prototype http://www.business-standard.com/article/companies/cars-runn...

Although I suspect a compressed air tank with enough capacity would be way too heavy for a drone to carry.

andyidsinga · on July 25, 2015

yes - that's the type of thing I'm talking about. I've heard of taxi's running on compressed air motors in dense urban environments ..maybe NYC?.

The power to weight ratio is the key issue. Also -- noise could be an issue too -- want to have quiet deliveries.

andyidsinga · on July 25, 2015

although the parcel cannon is a fantastic idea! ..not to different from how my paper is thrown at my house at 4am today :)

I'm thinking parcel cannon + small airbag bumpers and maybe a little parachute to slow decent at exactly the right time :)

andyidsinga · on July 25, 2015

compressed air motor (edit>) and tank instead of electric motor and batteries.