A video of a delivery robot stuck in slushy snow at the side of a street in Espoo has raised a discussion about how the technology can operate during the Finnish winter.
The distinctive robot couriers — operated by the S-Group's chain of Sale and Alepa stores — have become a regular sight on the streets of Finnish cities over the past few months.
The six-wheeled delivery vehicles were developed by the Estonian firm Starship Technologies, and the Finnish retail chain first began using the electrically-powered robots last year.
That pilot ended in November 2022, meaning this year marks the first time the delivery robots will face the depths of a Finnish winter.
"We do not oblige passers-by to help. As a matter of principle, we and our transport partner Starship take care of everything that happens during the delivery," explained Jukka Ranua, a development director with HOK-Elanto, the branch of S-Group responsible for Sale and Alepa outlets.
"On the other hand, there's no harm in that. If the robot is stuck, you can help it," he said.
Ranua added that people have assisted the robots during the summer and autumn months too, for example by pressing the pedestrian button at a set of traffic lights — although he warns against attempting to lift the robots.
"They weigh tens of kilos, so you shouldn't start lifting them. And I don't know at what point the backup alarm would start to go off. But otherwise, there's no harm in helping," he said, adding that employees at Starship can take remote control of the device if it is stuck and cannot move.
Ranua noted further that the retailer keeps the robots off the streets when conditions are particularly inclement.
"We follow the weather reports and how the clearing of snow is going in advance. However, there have been some isolated snowfalls during which we have learned where the limit is," he said.
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