Starship delivery robot

Starship Technologies is an Estonian/US company that makes and operates autonomous delivery robots.

Starship launched in 2017 and operates in Estonia, Finland, Germany, UK, USA and other countries, often in partnership with local supermakets and logistics companies.  

The robots, which can travel at a max speed of 6 kilometres per hour (3.7 mph), use AI, machine learning, cameras, ultrasound, radar, sensors and GPS to travel along pavements and cross streets.

The company says its robots are now "99 percent autonomous" and in Mafch 2022 told Nordic Ninja VC that Starship’s delivery costs are now lower than the human equivalent.

Risks and harms 🛑

Starship delivery robots have been known to collide with pedestrians, cars and trains, get lost, or take too much time to make deliveries, resulting in physical damage, the delay of public services, legal liability issues, distress and anger, and concerns about their impact on jobs.

Transparency and accountability 🙈

Starship Technologies is seen to have a number of transparency and accountability limitations: 

• Technical information. Starship has not publicly disclosed detailed technical information about its robots' navigation systems, sensor suites, or decision-making algorithms. This lack of transparency makes it difficult for external experts to evaluate the safety and reliability of the robots.

• Testing and validation. The company has not provided detailed information on its testing and validation procedures for the robots. This lack of transparency raises concerns about the robustness of the testing and validation processes.