机器人送快递曾是不少科幻片里的场景，如今，这已成为现实。

最近，英国剑桥市就启用了一款机器人为购物居民送货。不过，在送货过程中，这些机器人“快递员”似乎遇到了人类也会遇到的日常问题……↓

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据英国《每日电讯报》12月2日报道，为了让居民不再支付高昂的快递费，也不用担心快递货车造成的交通拥堵，英国剑桥市引进了一款机器人将购物商品送到居民手中。不过，这些机器人似乎正面临着和人类一样的日常问题。

New machines introduced to Cambridge to deliver shopping to residents without the expense and congestion of courier vans appear to be encountering the same mundane daily problems as humans.

当地居民看到，这些四轮机器人排着长队，穿过繁忙的道路，在路口等红灯，甚至向人类路人求助。

The four-wheeled robots have been spotted forming long queues to cross busy roads, waiting for pedestrian crossings to turn green and even asking human passers-by for help.

BBC：剑桥的送货机器人排成整齐的队伍等红绿灯

BBC报道截图

有时候，为了躲避冲着自己狂吠的狗或者好奇的孩子们的手，这些机器人不得不转向一旁让道。

In some cases, the robots, introduced into the city in recent weeks, have been seen swerving to one side to avoid growling dogs or the tiny fingers of curious children.

不过，也有居民投诉，在等待红绿灯时，这些送货机器人乱糟糟地挤在人行道上，导致拥堵。

Residents have reported several waiting at pedestrian crossings, with some complaining they are cluttering up pavements and causing congestion.

一位名叫加里的软件工程师对《每日电讯报》记者说：“它们有时会排成队，一起返回充电站。你会看到它们耐心地等着过马路。我还看到过这样的情况：它们开始横穿马路，但走到一半时，红灯亮了，于是它们又掉头退回去。”

“They form lines and go back to their charging base together sometimes and you see them waiting patiently to cross the road,” Gary, a software engineer, told The Telegraph. “I’ve also seen them start to cross the road, but then get half way across and the lights go red and they reverse and go back again.”

当地居民戴维斯曾目睹排成一队的7台送货机器人等待红绿灯变了三次，才有机器人抓住时机冒险过马路。另有机器人求助戴维斯帮忙按下过马路按钮。

Davies, a local resident, watched as a queue of seven of the delivery robots waited through three changes of lights before one took the plunge and crossed.

Another robot in the group called for help, asking a pedestrian if she would press the button for the crossing.

戴维斯描述了自己在两条街交叉路口看到的情景，她说：“我等在那里观察，红绿灯来回变了三次，一台机器人才终于过了马路。当绿灯亮起时，我觉得第一台机器人要走了，但它只是开始做准备，挪动了一下身体就停了下来。其中一台机器人问一位女士，她能否帮忙按一下红绿灯的按钮——我想，她当时对机器人跟她说话感到十分意外。”

Describing the scene at the corner of Davy Road and Coleridge Road, Ms Davies said: “I waited for three traffic-light cycles, and one eventually crossed. I thought the first one was going to go when the lights changed, but it just started manoeuvring and shuffled a bit and then stopped.

“One of the robots asked a lady if she would press the button – I think she was rather surprised a robot was speaking to her.”

另一位当地居民艾玛·佩里则表示，周五早上步行回家时，她的狗突然扑向路上的一台机器人。她表示，“我认为它们很酷，但我的狗不太喜欢它们，它对着它们咆哮。有人告诉我，如果你站在机器人面前，它们会停下来，等着你从它们面前走开。”

Emma Perry was walking home on Friday morning when her dog Tally lunged at one of the passing robots.

“I think they’re quite cool really, but my dog doesn’t really like them that much and barks at them. Someone told me they will stop and wait for you to get out of their way if you are standing in front of them,” she said.

 

据《每日电讯报》报道，英国“星船”技术公司上个月启动了这项机器人送货试验计划，尽管环保人士认为该计划在剑桥市已经十分拥堵的街道和人行道上是行不通的。

Starship Technologies launched the trial scheme last month on behalf of Cambridgeshire County Council, despite green campaigners saying the scheme would not work on the city’s already congested streets and pavements.

另据《每日邮报》报道，该试验也将在利兹的部分地区进行，2万名居民可以从附近的合作商店订购食品杂货，并由这款机器人配送。

The trial is also set to take place for parts of Leeds, with 20,000 residents being able to order their groceries from nearby Co-op stores.

人们先通过“星船”食品配送应用程序下单，合作商店的工作人员之后会依据订单拣货。快递会在最短一小时内安排好，送达后用户会收到一个提醒，并可以解锁机器人的运输箱取货。

Orders are made through the Starship food-delivery app, with groceries picked by staff at Co-op stores. Delivery can be scheduled within as little as one hour and, on arrival, users are sent an alert and can unlock the robot’s carrier to access their shopping.
 

综合来源：每日电讯报，BBC，每日邮报，参考消息