Robot Delivery Revolution: Yandex's Bold Plan to Flood Cities with Rovers

Yandex plans to increase the production of its autonomous delivery robots, known as rovers, to 1,500 units per month at its own factory. Marat Mavlyutov, head of the robot delivery division, stated the expansion is intended to launch services in cities with populations over one million and mitigate courier shortages. The company's factory, which began operations last year, currently produces 30 devices per day. Distribution of the fleet will be based on order density for Yandex Food and the presence of Yandex Lavka stores. Before deploying in new locations, the company coordinates tests with municipal authorities and develops detailed terrain maps. Fleet Scale and Operational Costs In Moscow, delivery via rovers is already cheaper than human courier delivery due to the high concentration of devices. In other cities, costs currently remain equal, though Yandex expects rates to drop as the fleet scales. To manage demand and expenses, the company is developing tiered service classes: