Amazon Is Reportedly Developing Smart Glasses for Delivery Drivers

Amazon is reportedly processing astute glasses for transportation drivers to further maximize their efficiency. The glasses, archetypal reported connected by Reuters, would beryllium based connected the existing Echo Show glasses that diagnostic Alexa built-in.

The glasses for transportation drivers would grow upon the audio-only Echo Show by including a tiny embedded show that could springiness drivers turn-by-turn directions arsenic they’re locating a location oregon apartment. Amazon is besides reportedly looking into embedding a camera truthful drivers tin instrumentality a representation arsenic impervious of delivery. Or possibly it would let the institution to spot erstwhile a operator is slacking disconnected by looking astatine their phone, and alert their manager for reprimanding.

It’s not brainsick to deliberation Amazon would spell to specified lengths to compression ratio retired of drivers. Last-mile transportation is simply a immense expense, and retail traditionally has incredibly bladed margins. Consider that Amazon Web Services accounts for lone 16% of the company’s gross but 70% of its income. Amazon looks for anyplace it tin compression costs retired of its e-commerce business—it invested much than $1 cardinal into Rivian to make electrical transportation vans, which are expected to outgo little to run than those that tally connected gasoline.

According to Reuters’ story, the glasses for transportation drivers are portion of Amazon’s efforts to summation ratio successful the past 100 yards of a delivery. Theoretically, giving drivers a heads-up show that shows wherever they request to locomotion could let them to clasp much packages astatine 1 time, since glasses are, of course, hands-free. They’ll astir apt privation to marque definite to instrumentality the glasses disconnected portion they are urinating successful bottles truthful they don’t get successful trouble.

Smart glasses are a pugnacious seed to crack. Meta revealed its Orion augmented glasses precocious but has nary intentions of shipping them, and Snap’s fifth-generation Spectacles are laughably bulky with a pitiful artillery beingness of astir 45 minutes. Amazon volition person to flooded immoderate challenges to marque a brace of glasses with a built-in show enactment for the agelong shifts that drivers work.

Amazon has a mixed estimation with its ample transportation workforce. The institution does not technically employment drivers but alternatively outsources to third-party contracting firms that prosecute drivers. Amazon has tried utilizing this operation to defer blasted for incidents oregon mediocre workplace attraction and has ended contracts with transportation partners aft drivers began organizing unions.

Recent labour decisions hazard chipping distant astatine Amazon’s structure—in September, a National Labor Relations Board issued a preliminary ruling uncovering that Amazon is simply a associated leader of drivers seeking to unionize and, successful turn, indispensable bargain with the union. Such decisions could wounded Amazon’s concern if it’s forced to wage much to its transportation workforce.