배송로봇 운행의 규제현황과 개선방향

Abstract

Autonomous delivery robot is a typical application of robot in our life. Considering rapid growth of the delivery robot market and implicit economic and industrial value of those robots, it is needed to timely identify and revise regulations obstructing practical use of them. This paper examines the current legislations on delivery robots, reviews institutional obstacles to using robots for the delivery purpose, and suggests recommendations for a good use of them. First, this paper examines issues about using robots for freight transportation. Robots are being developed to be used as mobile vehicles capable used to deliver small goods. A delivery robot is not a heavy mechanical device that operates at high speed, but an ultra-light mobile device that delivers small goods to a short distance and autonomously operates by recognizing the external environment without any physical manipulation by a person. Therefore, a future-oriented design is required to meet those characteristics of delivery robots. To this end, it is necessary for the outdoor delivery robot to be distinguished from general mobile vehicles from the legal point of view. Separate safety standards for the outdoor delivery robots on road should be established. In addition, it is necessary to flexibly apply the regulation of the Road Traffic Act, which does not allow unmanned operation of equipment equipped with a motor, for autonomous driving outdoor delivery robots. Because of their compact size, delivery robots are suitable for traveling along sidewalk or in parks where people pass through. For this reason, those robots shall be allowed to move on sidewalks or in park to the extent of securing safety of people. Furthermore, the technical standards for securing safety should not be limited to restrictions on the weight or operating speed. Taking into account technical means to secure safety of people, such as structural devices and systems to prevent human casualties from collisions with them, technical standards should provide wide applications of autonomous delivery robots. Indoor delivery robots may travel between floors, However, although the current regulations on elevators have been improved in a part, wireless communication facilities for delivery robots are not allowed to be installed in the elevator hoistway. Therefore, it is necessary to establish standards for allowing the delivery robot to travel between floors using an elevator while ensuring safety. Lastly, considering the characteristics of the delivery robots as subsidiary devices which is not for long-distance transportation, legislation should specify that delivery robots are not subject to new license restrictions in the freight vehicle transportation business.