Robot successfully navigates subway to deliver goods

A robot independently riding the metro to deliver goods became a reality in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, this week, marking the world's first autonomous subway-based delivery service.

On Monday, a cartoon-themed robot successfully navigated Shenzhen Metro Line 2, boarding a train unassisted to deliver goods to 7-Eleven stores located in metro stations without human assistance.

The trial run is part of a joint project between Shenzhen Metro Group and VX Logistics, a subsidiary of Vanke Group, a real estate and property management company, aiming to integrate rail transit with robotic logistics. Using AI-powered scheduling systems and multi-sensor navigation, the robots can plan optimal delivery routes, avoid pedestrians and independently manage train boarding and station navigation.