- Rivr and Veho launch a pilot in Austin using stair-climbing robots for doorstep parcel delivery.
- The robots work alongside human drivers, aiming to boost efficiency and reduce physical strain.
- Rivr targets scaling to 100 robots by 2026 and thousands by 2027, with expansion plans beyond Austin.
Zurich-based robotics startup Rivr has launched a pilot program with U.S. delivery platform Veho to automate the final stretch of parcel delivery in Austin, Texas.
In this initiative, Rivr’s four-wheeled, stair-climbing robots—described by CEO Marko Bjelonic as “a dog on roller skates”—will ferry packages from Veho vans directly to customers’ doors, navigating steps, gates, and uneven terrain.
The pilot starts small, with one supervised robot making daily five- to six-hour runs in residential neighbourhoods, before expanding to denser urban areas. A Rivr employee will accompany the robot to ensure safety and delivery quality, while remote operators can intervene if needed.
The robots are not meant to replace human drivers but to work alongside them, enabling more deliveries per route and reducing the physical strain on drivers.
For Veho, which serves 50 U.S. markets for brands like Sephora and Saks, the partnership is a step toward more efficient, reliable, and cost-effective delivery.
For Rivr, it’s a chance to gather valuable real-world data to advance its physical AI framework and scale up operations, aiming for 100 robots next year and thousands by 2027.
Rivr, already operating in the U.K. with Evri, has raised over $25 million, including a Jeff Bezos-led round that valued the company at $100 million. The Austin pilot could mark a turning point for urban last-mile delivery automation in the U.S.
Edited by Annette George
