Amazon is preparing to test humanoid robots as the next step in its package delivery operations. The plan: robots will ride in Rivian electric vans, hop out upon arrival, and deliver packages right to customers’ doors.
With over 20,000 Rivian electric delivery vans currently in service—and a target of 100,000 by 2030—Amazon is already transforming logistics with electric vehicles. For now, human drivers handle both the transportation and the delivery. But that may change soon, as humanoid robots begin field testing.
According to The Information, Amazon has built a specialized facility in San Francisco to simulate real-world delivery scenarios. This indoor obstacle course, dubbed a “humanoid park,” includes a Rivian van and is designed to test how well robots can exit the van, navigate terrain, and deliver packages to doorsteps.
“Amazon hopes humanoid robots will be able to hitch a ride in the back of Amazon’s electric Rivian vans and spring out to deliver packages,” a source said.
Though Amazon plans to evaluate several humanoid robots, the only confirmed model so far is from China-based Unitree. The company has previously experimented with humanoid robots from Agility Robotics, though those were deployed only in controlled warehouse environments.
Unlike the tailored, purpose-built robots Amazon already uses in its fulfillment centers, humanoid robots will need to adapt to unpredictable outdoor conditions. To meet this challenge, Amazon is reportedly developing proprietary software for these robots, potentially using DeepSeek-VL2 (created by a Chinese quant fund) and Qwen (from Alibaba).
Real-world tests beyond the obstacle course are already being considered. While this could reshape delivery logistics, it also raises questions about the future of human employment, with some commenters half-jokingly suggesting that universal basic income may become a necessity in an increasingly automated world. For now, Amazon’s humanoid delivery bots are still in the trial phase—but the future may be walking up to your doorstep soon.
