Over the years our shopping behavior changed from in-store purchasing to online ordering. We can order almost anything we desire online; what we want, when and where we want it. However, shopping locally is an alternative that is coming back: people want to touch, feel, and try things before they purchase them. Retailers are ramping up their presence in neighborhoods with smaller stores and consumers love it because they can socialize and engage with their community, don’t have to wait for shipments, and get in-person help and advice.
Too often, when we do shop locally, we reach for the keys to the car to transport groceries, supplies, or other items instead of walking. Piaggio Fast Forward (PFF) believes that if we can walk instead of drive we can make a difference!
PFF’s robot carrier changes the culture of vehicle usage by giving people healthier lifestyle choices in their neighborhood. The car stays at home and people walk instead. The gita robot does all the carrying and people can walk longer and further. As a result, packaging materials and vehicle-based deliveries are reduced whilst human interaction and experiences are increased.
With the mission to build technology products that move the way people move, PFF brought the gita robot as its inaugural product to market in 2019. As a first-of-its-kind following robot it carries up to 40 pounds of cargo at up to six miles per hour. It is battery powered, works for up to four hours of continuous use, and uses advanced technology based on sensors and cameras to dynamically follow, accelerating and decelerating with the speed and distance of its leader. All interactions between the human and the robot are done with two simple buttons.
As a company, PFF actively manages its environmental footprint through lean manufacturing of durable long lasting products that conserve materials, energy and natural resources. The company is thoughtful in selecting the appropriate fiber products and ensures that its own packaging is 100% recyclable. PFF also participates in single stream recycling and composting programs at its facilities.
By substituting driving with walking and fostering local shopping and community building through its gita robot carrier PFF contributes to a transition towards an inclusive, circular economy.
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