This red machine carried a parcel from a hospital in Tokyo to a post office some 700 meters away. The robot used cameras and sensors to detect obstacles and went around them. It also managed to successfully stop at a red light.

The trip took about 20 minutes. Delivery robots travel at about one-tenth the speed of Japan Post’s motorbikes. They are expected to help deal with staff shortage and reduce human-to-human contact in the coronavirus era. Japan Post aims to introduce the delivery robots in three years after clearing technical and legal issues.