Yandex has launched robotic delivery in four cities of the Moscow region at once — Khimki, Lyubertsy, Odintsovo and Dolgoprudny. Now, products, everyday goods and ready-made food from Yandex Lavka are increasingly delivered not by couriers, but by autonomous rovers.
So far, the project is working selectively — in specific areas: in Odintsovo, these are Govorova and Makovsky streets, in Dolgoprudny — Patsaeva Avenue, in Lyubertsy — Komsomolsky Avenue, in Khimki — Yubileiny, Kudryavtseva and Akademika Grushina. By the end of the year, the delivery zones are planned to be expanded, and the rovers themselves will begin to fulfill orders not only for Lavka, but also for Eda and Delivery.
Rovers of the fourth generation have already been used in the Moscow region — these are the first Yandex models that are mass-produced. They have improved cross-country ability, a more accurate lidar and are better oriented in a complex urban environment.
Rovers are completely autonomous: they analyze the traffic situation, recognize traffic lights, predict the movement of others and choose the optimal route in real time. If necessary, an operator can connect to the control, but in most cases the devices cope on their own.
They move at the speed of a pedestrian, comply with traffic rules and do not interfere with traffic. At the same time, they can work in any weather — from rain to snowfall.
The main focus is on scale. By the end of 2027, Yandex plans to release 20 thousand of these robots. Due to mass production, the company expects to expand the geography of the service faster and reduce the cost of delivery — it is already comparable to courier delivery and will gradually become cheaper.
Delivery robots are already operating in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kazan, Murino and Innopolis. The Moscow region has become the next step — and, judging by the plans, far from the last.