Global Autonomous Delivery Robots Market Size, Forecast, and Trend Highlights Over 2025-2037
Autonomous Delivery Robots Market size was over USD 3.66 billion in 2024 and is anticipated to cross USD 184.58 billion by 2037, growing at more than 35.2% CAGR during the forecast period, i.e., between 2025-2037. In 2025, the industry size of autonomous delivery robots is estimated at USD 6.01 billion.
The growth of the market can be attributed to the rising expansion of the e-commerce sector and the surge in demand for last-mile delivery. For instance, according to data published by the UN Trade and Development in 2021, e-commerce sales worth USD 25 trillion were made by various businesses in 43 developing and developed economies. Various retailers are partnering with autonomous delivery robot providers to include robots in urban areas and enhance consumer experience.
Additionally, the advancement in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning is fostering the growth of the market. The amalgamation of these technologies enhances the capabilities of robots in decision-making and navigation. This makes the robots viable even for large-scale deployment. For instance, according to the National Institute of Standards and Technology, artificial intelligence offers real-time route optimization and reduces the delivery time by 20.5-26%.
Autonomous Delivery Robots Sector: Growth Drivers and Challenges
Growth Drivers
- Labor shortages and increasing wages: According to the World Economic Forum, by 2030, the shortage of labor could cost USD 8.6 trillion for the global economy. The labor shortage is compelling companies to include automation and robots in their services as a sustainable and cost-effective solution. Also, robots can be deployed in new locations, avoiding the delay in hiring. ADRs such as Nuro, Starship, Amazon Scout can operate in urban areas, hospitals, and campuses by reducing reliance on human couriers. Additionally, robots are capable of offering round the clock workforce without sick days or breaks.
- Increasing urbanization and smart city initiatives: The governments are including autonomous delivery robots in the modernization of the smart city infrastructure. Dubai and Singapore, known to be the smartest cities in the world, had a mandate for trials of ADRs. Other than this, in the U.S., almost 20 states, including Florida and Virginia, have allowed sidewalk robots. These autonomous robots have become an integral part of the smart city infrastructure, offering lucrative growth opportunities for the market players.
- Rising efforts to adopt sustainable and eco-friendly solutions: Key market players are embracing energy-efficient solutions to lessen their carbon footprints and align with global climate goals. With the inclusion of smart practices, such as delivery through autonomous robots, companies are enhancing their brand value of the company, leading to increased revenue growth. According to Washington State University, in August 2024, the use of ADR can eradicate carbon dioxide emissions by 16.3% and congestion by 29%. Various food services businesses are also adopting ADRs to effectively conduct last-mile delivery to the consumer.
Green Tech on Wheels: How Autonomous Delivery Robots Are Driving Sustainability
The global autonomous delivery robots market is orienting itself with sustainability objectives, as numerous companies are choosing eco-friendly practices to reduce their carbon footprints. Strategic investments are being made in streamlining logistics, using renewable energy sources, and embracing the circular economy to reach environmental targets has become important to make a positive brand value. ADRs are capable of reducing significant GHG emissions by optimizing routing and using electric propulsion. The small size of ADRs eradicates the issues of traffic congestion and also reduces the reliance on fossil fuels by using renewable energy. Various companies are adopting ADR models built from recyclable materials and produce extremely low noise pollution.
Sustainability Initiatives in the Autonomous Delivery Robots Market
|
Company |
Sustainability Initiatives |
Goals & Vision (2030) |
Impact on Business |
|
Amazon |
Contracted 15.6 GW of wind and solar power by 2022 |
Achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2040 |
Enhanced brand value; leadership in corporate renewable energy procurement. |
|
JD.com |
over 110 million green orders; reduced supply chain emissions by ~464 tons. |
Expand green ecosystem; refine carbon-inclusive mechanisms; support China's green transition. |
Increased consumer engagement through sustainability programs. |
|
Starship Technologies |
Reduced UK carbon emissions by over 320,100 kg since 2018 |
Achieve significant CO₂ reductions through zero-emission delivery robots by 2030. |
Positioned as a leader in sustainable last-mile delivery solutions. |
|
DHL Group |
Deployed 6,200 e-bikes, 13,510 e-trikes, and 23,100 electric vans |
Aiming for zero-emission logistics operations. |
Significant reduction in carbon footprint |
AI & Machine Learning: Accelerating Innovation in Autonomous Delivery Robots
The integration of AI and ML is transforming the ADR market by upgrading operational efficiency. Various market players are adopting these technologies to speed up the design process and lower costs, and enhance the customer experience. These technologies are being adopted for smooth obstacle avoidance and effective planning of the route. Various ML functionalities are in demand to detect vehicles and perform real-time analysis of the road. Also, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineering in 2023 stated that the inclusion of reinforcement learning through AI lowers the collision rates by 42%.
AI & Machine Learning Integration in Autonomous Delivery Robots
|
Company |
Integration of AI & ML |
Outcome |
|
Amazon |
Implemented AI-driven warehouse automation and the Vision-Assisted package retrieval system to enhance package sorting and retrieval processes. |
Achieved a 26% reduction in delivery times and costs. |
|
JD.com |
Utilized AI for real-time delivery route optimization and predictive analytics to manage inventory and demand forecasting. |
Realized a 32% reduction in logistics costs. |
|
Starship Technologies |
Applied machine learning algorithms to improve robot navigation and obstacle avoidance capabilities. |
Enhanced delivery efficiency and customer satisfaction. |
Challenges
- Strict data protection regulations: Autonomous delivery robots depend on real-time data collection, such as details of customers and locations. Market players are also required to comply with the General Data Protection Regulation (European Union), California Consumer Privacy Act (U.S.), and Digital Personal Data Protection Act (India).
- Lack of global standardization: This is a prominent challenge for manufacturers, logistics providers, and regulators. Without global uniform standards, last-mile delivery robots face challenges in deployment and interoperability. Different regions have a variety of rules on road access, speed limits, and liability.
Autonomous Delivery Robots Market: Key Insights
|
Base Year |
2024 |
|
Forecast Year |
2025-2037 |
|
CAGR |
35.2% |
|
Base Year Market Size (2024) |
USD 3.66 billion |
|
Forecast Year Market Size (2037) |
USD 184.58 billion |
|
Regional Scope |
|
Autonomous Delivery Robots Segmentation
End User (E-commerce & retail, Healthcare, Hospitality, Logistics & Warehousing)
The e-commerce segment is expected to garner the highest autonomous delivery robots market gain by 2037. The segment is projected to hold 38.5% revenue share by 2037. The big players in the e-commerce sector are prioritizing cost-efficient last-mile delivery. Autonomous robots are acknowledging this necessity by lowering the operational costs and delivery times. For instance, Amazon uses almost 750,100 robots in its stores to modernize the operations. Additionally, the global governments are aiding the amalgamation of autonomous delivery robots to lower environmental impact and enhance urban logistics. Other than this, in Singapore, OTSAW developed Camello robots that are AI-powered to deliver groceries to residents. Also, the National Retail Federation reported an exponential rise in investment in automation to meet the burgeoning demand for same-day delivery from the e-commerce sector.
Type (Last mile delivery robots, Postal delivery robots, Food and beverages delivery robots)
The last-mile delivery robots’ segment is projected to garner 46% of the autonomous delivery robots market share owing to a surge in demand for contactless delivery in the post-pandemic period. The growth can also be attributed to the rising labor shortage and the requirement for environment-friendly logistics solutions. Also, Research Nester estimates that by using last-mile delivery robots, labor costs are lowered by 61% of the overall last-mile delivery expenses. In the U.S., under the White House Initiative, a USD 51 million grant was offered for autonomous logistics during 2023-24. Furthermore, the World Economic Forum stated that ADR fleets lower the carbon dioxide emissions by 32%. These factors are bolstering the demand for the last-mile delivery robots and offering lucrative growth opportunities for the market players.
Our in-depth analysis of the global autonomous delivery robots market includes the following segments:
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Type |
|
|
End User |
|
|
Technology |
|
|
Payload capacity |
|
|
Component |
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Customize this ReportAutonomous Delivery Robots Industry - Regional Analysis
North America Market Analysis
The North America autonomous delivery robots market is projected to register the largest revenue share, i.e., 34.9% revenue share, with a CAGR of 18.7% between 2024-2037. The market growth can be ascribed to the presence of state-of-the-art ICT infrastructure and expanding urbanization. Also, there is an increasing cross-border trade practice carried out in the region, for which ADR has been widely used. The U.S. and Canada are showcasing robust e-commerce trends, and leading players are adopting robots to conduct hassle-free delivery, overcoming labor shortage challenges cost-effectively.
In the U.S., market growth is driven by the rising adoption of digitalization in logistics and favorable regulatory policies. According to the Federal Communications Commission, in 2023, an expanded high-speed internet program was launched to cover over 20.5 million households. This initiative is projected to facilitate digital platforms acting as pedestals for autonomous delivery robots’ services. Also, the U.S. is accelerating 5G deployment nationwide and harnessing smart routing techniques and real-time navigation. The country is also dominating due to the presence of rising investment in start-up initiatives and high consumer tech adoption.
Europe Market Forecast
The market in Europe is anticipated to garner a revenue share of 31.9% of the global autonomous delivery robots market, with prominent contributions from the U.K., Germany, Italy, and Nordic countries. The market is witnessing significant growth on the back of rising urban e-commerce demand and a surge in mandates for green logistics. The region is adopting wide regulatory standardization and expansion of the 5G infrastructure. This has fostered the demand for the deployment of robots in various prominent sectors such as retail and postal services.
The UK and Germany are investing heavily in making last-mile automation feasible in their countries. The ADR spending reached USD 3.9 billion in 2024 in Germany, showcasing tremendous efforts made by the government. The market is also flourishing in the country, fueled by a significant surge in policies in logistics digitalization. Other than this, in U.K, the government allocated at least 4% of the digital infrastructure budget to make ADRs adoption easy for numerous businesses. The government is also taking favorable initiatives, such as smart mobility grants and pilot programs, to give a thrust to ADR adoption in the country.
Companies Dominating the Autonomous Delivery Robots Landscape
- Company Overview
- Business Strategy
- Key Product Offerings
- Financial Performance
- Key Performance Indicators
- Risk Analysis
- Recent Development
- Regional Presence
- SWOT Analysis
The competitive landscape of the autonomous delivery robots’ market is rapidly evolving as established key players, IT giants, and new entrants are investing in electrification and hydrogen technologies. Key players in the market are focused on developing new technologies and products that cater to the stringent regulatory norms and consumer demand. These key players are adopting several strategies such as mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, partnerships, and novel product launches to enhance their product base and strengthen their market position.
|
Company Name |
Country of Origin |
Est. Market Share (2037) |
|
Starship Technologies |
Estonia (Europe) |
14.2% |
|
Nuro Inc. |
USA |
12.7% |
|
JD Logistics (JD.com) |
China |
11.5% |
|
Amazon Robotics (Amazon) |
USA |
10.3% |
|
Kiwibot |
USA |
6.8% |
|
Panasonic Corporation |
Japan |
xx% |
|
Neolix |
China |
xx% |
|
Ottonomy.IO |
India |
xx% |
|
BoxBot |
USA |
xx% |
|
Cleveron |
Estonia (Europe) |
xx% |
|
Yujin Robot |
South Korea |
xx% |
|
Robomart |
USA |
xx% |
|
ZMP Inc. |
Japan |
xx% |
|
XY Sense |
Australia |
xx% |
|
Robopreneur Sdn Bhd |
Malaysia |
xx% |
Below are the areas covered for each company in the autonomous delivery robots market:
In the News
- In April 2024, Nuro expanded its R2 robot delivery service by joining hands with 7-Eleven across Texas and California. The delivery volume of the company surged by 41% in Q2 2024, fostered by rising demand for contactless convenience store deliveries.
- In March 2024, Starship Technologies partnered with Safeway to expand its robotic delivery services to 10 new cities in the U.S. The expansion raised the company’s fleet by 31%, reaching over 2010 robots in operation.
Author Credits: Abhishek Verma
- Report ID: 3857
- Published Date: May 28, 2025
- Report Format: PDF, PPT
