Amazon is preparing to roll out technology that uses artificial intelligence and lights to help delivery drivers find the packages they need in their trucks.
The new solution, Vision-Assisted Package Retrieval (VAPR), has been piloted by drivers and will be included in 1,000 electric delivery vans that will be deployed by early 2025, the company said in a Wednesday (Oct. 9) press release.
With this solution, drivers need only look for VAPR’s green light that spotlights the right packages for each stop, according to the release.
VAPR uses a form of computer vision called Amazon Robotics Identification (AR-ID) to automatically identify items, the release said.
When the van arrives at a delivery location, VAPR uses audio and visual cues to let the driver know it has found the packages needed for that stop and uses automotive light projectors mounted on the roof of the vehicle to shine a green “O” light on those packages and a red “X” light on all other packages, per the release.
Based on its work with drivers who piloted the system, Amazon found that VAPR reduces drivers’ perceived physical and mental effort by 67% and saves more than 30 minutes per route, according to the release.
“Before, it could take me anywhere between 2 and 5 minutes to empty a tote and organize packages for the next stops,” Bobby Garcia, a driver with Bloomfield Logistics, said in the release. “Now, with VAPR, this whole step just takes me about a minute.”
The technology also facilitates more accurate deliveries, Stephen Harry, owner of Bloomfield Logistics, said in the release.
“VAPR always finds the right packages,” Harry said.
The AR-ID technology used in VAPR was originally developed for the company’s fulfillment centers.
Amazon said in June 2022 that AR-ID would soon replace manual scanning in its fulfillment centers and sort centers. When announcing the technology’s deployment there, the company said AR-ID features AI-powered scanning capability with computer vision and machine learning technology and uses a unique camera system that runs at 120 frames per second.
The company has more than 100,000 delivery vans in its fleet worldwide, according to the Wednesday press release.
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