CJ Logistics, Kia pilot robot dog for last-mile delivery

CJ Logistics undertakes a pilot project for parcel delivery with Boston Dynamics' four-legged walking robot, Spot, in Goyang, Gyeonggi. [CJ LOGISTICS]

Boston Dynamics' four-legged robot Spot was put to the test in Korea to see if it can deliver parcels in a pilot project carried out by CJ Logistics and Kia.

The trial was designed to assess the viability of deploying robots in last-mile delivery.

The project took place from last Wednesday through Thursday in an apartment complex in Goyang, Gyeonggi, according to the companies on Thursday.

During the trial, CJ Logistics delivery drivers loaded Spot and parcels onto Kia's electric van, which then transported them to the delivery destination. Once unloaded from the van, Spot then completed the delivery by carrying the parcels to the customers' doorstep.

The company said the robotic dog autonomously navigated complex routes and obstacles such as stairs with a robot delivery service application by startup DHive, which specializes in autonomous driving tech.

"We envision a collaborative approach between humans and robots for last-mile delivery operations," said CJ Logistics on Thursday. It suggested scenarios in which robots could handle challenging areas like residential neighborhoods or hilly terrain while humans manage apartment complexes, or have robots carry out deliveries while humans load additional parcels.

The pilot project aligns with Kia's plan unveiled at CES 2024 for a new form of PBV (Purpose-Built Vehicle) business model integrating robotics technology.

"Based on the results gained from this project, we plan to utilize the upcoming launch of our first mid-sized PBV model, PV5, in 2025 to further confirm the validity of logistics solutions integrating PBVs and robotics technology," according to Kia.

The Korean automaker further plans to develop logistics solutions integrating robotics technology with the upcoming launch of the larger PV7, it added.

BY SEO JI-EUN [seo.jieun1@joongang.co.kr]