Amazon Eyeing Delivery Robot Tech In Finland

Amazon.com Inc AMZN announced plans to develop new technology for its autonomous delivery vehicles in Helsinki, Finland, the company said in the company blog.
The company was setting up a new development center to support Amazon Scout. Amazon Scout is a fully electric autonomous delivery robot with testing in four U.S. locations.
Over two dozen robotics and autonomous systems technology engineers will be based at the Helsinki center initially.
One of their main aims will be to develop 3D software to simulates the complexity of real life. They will ensure that Scout can navigate safely while making deliveries, CNBC reports
The center follows Amazon’s acquisition of 3D modeling firm Umbra. Umbra enables 3D graphics designers and engineers to create, optimize, share and view their designs in real-time on virtually any device.
The Helsinki center will work alongside Amazon staff at the Amazon Scout R&D lab in Seattle and teams in Tubingen, Germany, and Cambridge, where Amazon has been developing delivery drones for several years.
Roughly the size of a small cooler, Amazon Scout vehicles can transport small packages along sidewalks at a walking pace.
Starship Technologies is also developing delivery robots. In January, Starship said that its robots had completed 1 million deliveries in countries including the U.K., the U.S., Estonia, and Germany.
Price action: AMZN shares traded lower by 0.11% at $3,436.27 in the premarket session on the last check Thursday.