Amazon has announced a suite of new technologies aimed at improving delivery speeds and helping customers make faster purchasing decisions. These innovations, revealed at an event near Nashville, Tennessee, are part of the company’s push for efficiency and customer convenience.
One of the notable developments is the Vision Assisted Package Retrieval system. This new technology equips delivery trucks with cameras and LED projectors to scan package labels and shine a green light on the correct package for each stop. The system is designed to save time by allowing drivers to locate packages without needing to read labels, helping them make quicker deliveries. Amazon plans to equip 1,000 delivery trucks with this feature by early next year.
“When we speed up deliveries, customers shop more,” said Doug Herrington, CEO of Amazon Worldwide Stores. Herrington explained that faster deliveries encourage customers to return sooner and shop more frequently. Currently, Amazon delivery workers reach approximately 100 customers per day, but by shaving seconds off each delivery, the company aims to increase that number.
The new package retrieval system is reminiscent of the technology already used in Amazon’s warehouses, where lights direct workers to items on robotically controlled shelves. This system, which replaced manual retrieval, has drastically reduced the time it takes to pick and ship products.
Amazon also introduced new AI-powered shopping guides, designed to help customers make informed decisions more quickly. These guides will offer detailed information and recommendations on products such as televisions and dog food, cutting down the time consumers spend researching unfamiliar items. This follows the introduction of Rufus, an AI search tool integrated into the Amazon website that provides longer, more detailed answers to search queries.
Additionally, Amazon is expanding its reach in grocery shopping with smaller warehouses attached to Whole Foods stores. These warehouses will stock items not typically sold at Whole Foods, such as Pepsi, allowing customers to add these products to their order and receive them at checkout. The first such store will launch in Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania, next year.
