How could that compete with a UPS driver that drops the boxes off and goes to the next place? People don't all arrive home at different times, so a vehicle cannot choose to show up at any place at any time. While the vehicle is waiting for someone else to arrive, they could have already delivered to many more places. Even without paying a driver and a larger number of vehicles, the efficiency of delivery seems lower and the cost higher.
A UPS driver is time constrained hence a vehicle sized because of their costs and routing to make best use of their time. Neither constraint exists for driverless vehicles.
I suspect the solutions that do get deployed will be something like a larger vehicle in the delivery area acting as a distribution point, and smaller ones making the deliveries from there.
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How could that compete with a UPS driver that drops the boxes off and goes to the next place? People don't all arrive home at different times, so a vehicle cannot choose to show up at any place at any time. While the vehicle is waiting for someone else to arrive, they could have already delivered to many more places. Even without paying a driver and a larger number of vehicles, the efficiency of delivery seems lower and the cost higher.
A UPS driver is time constrained hence a vehicle sized because of their costs and routing to make best use of their time. Neither constraint exists for driverless vehicles.
I suspect the solutions that do get deployed will be something like a larger vehicle in the delivery area acting as a distribution point, and smaller ones making the deliveries from there.