Grocery Automation Is Accelerating Thanks to the Coronavirus
Source: Chris Wiltz in Automation & Motion Control (April 16, 2020)
An AiFi grocery store in Shanghai. AiFi's autonomous grocery stores don't require human cashiers or checkouts (Image source: AiFi)
The next time you shop for groceries without worry over COVID-19 you may notice something different – a drastic increase in the level of automation.
Here in the US, the White House has warned citizens to avoid grocery shopping altogether unless absolutely essential. But if you’ve been acting like a good social distancing practitioner and tried to order groceries via Instacart in the last week you have may have noticed another problem beyond the slim pickings due to panic shopping – there weren’t any delivery people available. As demand for delivery services has skyrocketed in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic so have the health and safety concerns of workers.
Last week Instacart workers staged a strike, demanding better pay and health protections. Days later Whole Foods workers followed suit with a sick out over health concerns. Workers at Amazon’s infamous fulfillment centers (Amazon is the parent company of Whole Foods) also staged walkouts citing a lack of safety equipment and sick pay. One of Amazon’s centers in Detroit came under fire for failing to notify its warehouse workers that a co-worker had been diagnosed with COVID-19 – the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. Amazon, for its part has pledged to implement new safety measures, including providing face masks to its workers. Instacart has also announced it will be providing safety kits to its delivery people.
One of AiFi's nanostores, designed for contactless, grab-and-go shopping. (Image source: AiFi)
