Robots at the Door

Robot deliveries could be coming to a Missouri neighborhood near you. A bill sponsored by state Senator Lincoln Hough of Springfield aims to let robots cruise mainly along sidewalks and crosswalks to deliver goods around the state. During a Senate committee hearing today, Tom Dempsey, a lobbyist for Amazon and a former state Senate President, says the e-commerce retailer supports the legislation. He says Amazon’s delivery gadget, called Scout, is a “last mile device.”

Shannon Cooper, lobbying on behalf of the city of Kansas City and a former state Representative, says he wants to ensure there is enough liability coverage in case an accident happens involving these machines. The committee has not voted yet on the plan.