"This is the future right here," said Tonight Show host Jimmy Fallon.
He was watching FedEx's new SameDay autonomous delivery bot navigate through sand, rocks, water, and up a step.
"This is unbelievable," Fallon said in what seemed like a possibly genuine reaction to the bot that delivered him a pizza on Tuesday night.
FedEx announced Wednesday it is working with companies including AutoZone, Lowe's, Pizza Hut, Target, Walgreens, and Walmart to deliver food, groceries, parts, supplies, and more as part of a "last-mile" delivery strategy.
The bot is designed with DEKA, whose founder was behind the invention of the Segway. The robot has cameras, LiDAR sensors like an autonomous vehicle, and is battery powered. The bot learns how to avoid obstacles, stay on its path, and follow road signs. The bot will be tested in Memphis, Tennessee, this summer.
FedEx hopes to eventually roll out the electric bot in the 1,900 cities that already have FedEx's "SameDay City" service. But instead of human couriers hauling your packages, it'll be this bot.
