Commercial Trial of Robot Delivery for 7NOW Orders from Seven-Eleven Stores to Customers’ Homes
ABOUT
| Overview | A commercial trial was conducted using the LM-R robot to deliver products ordered via the 7NOW service from the Seven-Eleven Minami-Osawa Station Store. Two LM-R units were operated remotely to deliver goods directly to customers’ doorsteps. |
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| Date | October 10 (Tue) – December 24 (Sun), 2023 |
| Delivery Route | Within a 2 km radius from the Seven-Eleven Minami-Osawa Station Store |
BACKGROUND AND GOAL
Minami-Osawa is located in the western area of Tama New Town, Japan’s largest-scale new town developed across four cities: Hachioji, Inagi, Tama, and Machida.
Over 40 years have passed since residents began moving into the area, and challenges have emerged around transportation and logistics infrastructure for the aging population.
This commercial trial aimed to explore the potential of robot delivery in collaboration with 7NOW, a service that delivers groceries and daily necessities in as little as 30 minutes (as of that time).
The trial was carried out in cooperation with Seven-Eleven Japan Co., Ltd., the Minami-Osawa Smart City Council, Urban Renaissance Agency (UR), and the Tokyo Metropolitan Housing Supply Corporation.
Test Scenario
| STEP 1 | Residents in the target area place orders via the 7NOW app and select robot delivery if desired. |
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| STEP 2 | Store staff at Seven-Eleven pick and load the products into the LOMBY robot. |
| STEP 3 | LOMBY operator remotely controls the robot from a control room to deliver the goods. Customers receive a notification when the robot departs, and can track its location via GPS. |
| STEP 4 | Upon arrival at the destination (front door for houses, 1st floor entrance for apartment buildings), customers receive an SMS notification. |
| STEP 5 | Customers scan the QR code on top of the LOMBY robot to unlock the compartment and retrieve their items. |
| STEP 6 | The LOMBY robot returns to the store via remote control. |
SUMMARY
| Target Users / Households | Residents living within a 2 km radius of the Seven-Eleven Minami-Osawa Station Store Estimated households: approx. 3,000 |
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| Period / Operation Hours | October 10 – December 24, 2023 9:30 AM – 10:15 PM |
| Evaluation Points | In addition to evaluating the robot’s fundamental functions, customers were surveyed about their experience with robot delivery. Key areas of evaluation included: ・ Advantages and disadvantages compared to human delivery ・ Ease of the receiving process ・ Reactions from residents (both users and non-users) during daytime and nighttime ・ Perceived impact of robot deliveries on the community |
CUSTOMERS’ OPINIONS
- “Robot delivery would be especially helpful on rainy days or at night. I feel bad asking people to deliver in those conditions.”
- “I’m looking forward to the service being fully implemented!”
- “The voice was cute and made me feel attached to the robot. I also think children find it very approachable.”
- “My children were excited to see the robot. Since some parts of the walkway are dark at night, its presence could also help with community safety. It’s also handy when cooking feels like a burden or going out is difficult.”
- “This was my first time using it. Since this area has many elderly residents and hilly terrain, I hope this service expands. The pedestrian walkways are well-maintained, so delivery should be smooth.”
- “Thank you for letting us experience such cutting-edge technology. I was really excited waiting for the delivery, like a child! I believe this could be very useful for households with young children or elderly individuals. In the near future, I think robot deliveries will be a common sight. I’m looking forward to it!”
- “Even when you’re sick or not feeling well, being able to order and receive goods is extremely helpful.”