Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/661432
|Tomorrow's Trucks | Google awarded patent for 'autonomous delivery platform' By Jason Cannon 8 www.studentdriverplacement.com March '16 According to the rendering in Google's patent fi l- ing, their delivery model is basically a mobile set of lockers that Google calls a "package securing substation." G oogle is at it again. The Internet behemoth that can reliably fi nd lower calorie op ons for Belgian waffl es in nanoseconds has just received a U.S. pat- ent for an autono- mous delivery truck featuring code-en- abled lockers. U.S. Patent 9,256,852 B1, de- scribed as an "au- tonomous delivery platform," was awarded to Google in February. Google explains in its 18-page fi l- ing, which was originally submitted in July 2013, that their vehicle could be used "for all types of delivery, such as advertising circulars, and direct- from-merchant goods (for example pizza delivery)." Google's patent and concept for delivery is one where shipper and receiver meet each other half way. Once the truck arrives at its destina- tion, the recipient would approach the vehicle and enter a PIN, or use a method of payment, to open the locker that contains their package. ◆