Lawmakers debate feasibility of ‘personal delivery devices’
By Howard Fischer Capitol Media Services via Arizona Daily Sun
It doesn’t have the personality of WALL-E.
It doesn’t possess the communication skills of the small waste-collecting robot of Pixar film fame, either.
But Arizonans could soon find themselves sharing the sidewalks with armies of small six-wheeled automated robots delivering everything from lunch and groceries to the mail.
State lawmakers took the first steps Wednesday to legalize the use of what are formally called “personal delivery devices.” HB 2422, given unanimous approval by the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, would specifically grant them the right to operate on sidewalks and in crosswalks.
