Amazon Just Bought a Company That Makes Four-Legged Robots. Here’s What This Means for Your Next Delivery.

Four-legged robots are about to start delivering Amazon packages. CNBC reports the company quietly acquired Rivr, a Swiss robotics startup that makes robots on wheels designed for “doorstep delivery.” Amazon didn’t announce the deal publicly but informed third-party delivery contractors in a notice this week.

The robots won’t replace humans — yet. Amazon says the machines will work alongside human delivery drivers to “help DAs carry packages from delivery vehicles to customer doorsteps” and improve safety outcomes. The company is in the “early stages” of testing how to integrate the technology.

This is Amazon’s latest push into automation. The company has spent over a decade automating warehouse operations and has deployed more than 1 million robots across its network as of last October.