Delivery robots are stepping out of pilots and onto Swiss pavements. On 3 September 2025, Swiss Post, Migros Online and RIVR launched a Regensdorf field test of the RIVR ONE, a wheeled‑leg “Physical AI” courier built to carry up to 30 kg, climb stairs, and shuttle parcels from vans to doorsteps [1]. The pilots began in August and run on selected days until mid‑September 2025 to assess stair‑climbing, van loading and handling of heavy boxes without overburdening staff [2].

Key Takeaways

– shows Swiss Post, Migros Online, and RIVR launched Regensdorf field tests on 3 September 2025, deploying stair‑climbing robots carrying up to 30 kg. – reveals pilots began in August and run on selected days until mid‑September 2025, assessing van loading, stair navigation, and heavy‑box handling to reduce strain. – demonstrates wheeled‑leg delivery robots can reach about 15 km/h and work in rain, snow, and heat, with real‑time monitoring across Zurich urban routes. – indicates Swiss Post paused 2016–2019 robot trials over legal constraints; current early‑label tests emphasize follow‑me mode and suitability for local last‑mile consignments. – suggests RIVR’s March 31, 2025 rebrand and strong demand underpin scalable 2025 deployments targeting parcels, groceries, and meals across partner pilots and planned rollouts.

Why delivery robots are returning to Swiss streets

Swiss Post has tested delivery robots before, running trials from 2016 to 2019 before pausing progress due to legal constraints that limited broader deployment [5]. The organization now describes its current work as “early‑label tests” to assess autonomous assistants that are specifically suited to local last‑mile consignments rather than long‑range routes [5]. Capabilities under review include a follow‑me mode, where robots accompany carriers to lighten loads rather than replace human couriers outright [5].

Crucially, Swiss Post links commercialization to two variables beyond technology: test outcomes and regulatory conditions [5]. Earlier trials demonstrated technical promise but hit legal headwinds; this round is designed to generate operational evidence under today’s frameworks and inform any policy adjustments that would enable wider rollouts [5]. The emphasis is on repeatable, street‑safe behaviors in Swiss towns and suburbs rather than flashy demonstrations [5].

Inside the Regensdorf field test

The Regensdorf pilot centers on the RIVR ONE, a wheeled‑leg platform built to step over curbs and climb stairs while maintaining stability under payloads up to 30 kg (66 lb) [1]. RIVR positions the system as “Physical AI,” emphasizing the fusion of perception, locomotion and manipulation to move parcels from the van’s cargo bay to the recipient’s doorstep—the most labor‑intensive micro‑segment of last‑mile logistics [1]. Swiss Post is conducting the test with Migros Online alongside RIVR to simulate everyday parcel and grocery scenarios on typical residential routes [1].

Swiss Post says the robots began working selected days in August and will continue intermittently until mid‑September 2025, focusing on three operational tasks: negotiating stairs safely, efficient loading and unloading from delivery vans, and handling bulky items to reduce strain on carriers [2]. The company stresses that “humans remain indispensable” and that results from these weeks of testing will determine next steps, including whether to expand trials, modify workflows, or pause for additional development and regulatory review [2].

By placing the robot between the van and the doorstep, Swiss Post aims to compress the time and effort required for short, repetitive legs of a delivery round [1]. This micro‑automation approach differs from fully autonomous street driving; it complements existing routes by tackling the heaviest lift, literally and figuratively, closest to the customer [1]. If successful, it could reassign human effort to customer interaction, routing, and exceptions management while the robot handles repetitive carrying tasks [2].

How delivery robots navigate Swiss stairs and weather

Unlike small six‑wheeled sidewalk bots, the RIVR platform uses wheeled‑legs that rotate to become wheels on flat surfaces and legs on steps, allowing climbs without ramps or building modifications [1]. Similar units piloted in Zurich can move at about 15 km/h—fast enough for efficient repositioning—and continue operating in rain, snow and heat, an essential baseline for Swiss seasons and microclimates [4]. Deliveries are monitored in real time, enabling remote support and compliance with safety protocols as the robots traverse mixed urban terrain [4].

RIVR frames the approach as a natural fit for cities: the robots maintain stability on cobblestones, uneven sidewalks and staircases commonly found in older European buildings [1]. The company’s branding of “Physical AI” underscores a software‑first stack that adapts to outdoor variability, from wet steps to curb drops, while remaining predictable to pedestrians and parcel recipients [1]. That blend of situational awareness and controlled gait is designed to pass operational audits and risk assessments required by city partners and national regulators [4].

What delivery robots could change for last-mile economics

Swiss Post’s test is targeted at the “van‑to‑doorstep” leg, the short but costly segment where drivers park, fetch boxes, climb stairs, and return to the vehicle—often multiple times per stop [1]. By assigning a robot to carry up to 30 kg from the van to the customer, the team aims to cut repeat trips and reduce the time a human spends on physical transfer, while keeping humans in charge of handovers, exceptions, and customer service [1]. The design goal is fewer back‑and‑forths per address, especially in buildings without lifts [1].

Reducing manual lifts can also moderate physical strain on staff, a key reason the tests evaluate heavy‑box handling and stair navigation [2]. Swiss Post is explicit that the technology is an auxiliary tool, not a substitution for carriers, and has engineered the trials to observe whether repetitive strains decrease when heavy parcels are entrusted to the robot [2]. If the data show lower physical burden without slowing rounds, the case for broader deployment strengthens, particularly for dense routes with many multi‑story buildings [2].

Beyond speed and ergonomics, reliability under real weather is essential for business viability. Zurich pilots show the robots can work in rain, snow and heat, with real‑time monitoring to keep operations transparent and safe for bystanders and customers alike [4]. Consistent behavior across weather states reduces cancellations and re‑scheduling, which is critical in grocery and meal delivery where timing and temperature control matter [4]. These characteristics translate directly to cost predictability for last‑mile providers [4].

Regulatory and commercialization outlook for delivery robots

History is instructive: Swiss Post’s 2016–2019 robot trials paused over legal constraints, not purely technical blockers [5]. Today’s early‑label tests are structured to align with prevailing rules while generating evidence about safe operation, human‑robot collaboration, and public acceptance on Swiss streets [5]. The operator notes that commercialization depends both on measurable test outcomes and on regulatory conditions, signaling that any scale‑up will proceed with policy alignment, not in defiance of it [5].

On the supplier side, RIVR—the company formerly known as Swiss‑Mile—rebranded on 31 March 2025 to focus squarely on last‑mile delivery, citing strong market demand and a roadmap of pilot launches this year with logistics partners [3]. CEO Marko Bjelonic frames deployments as scalable, indicating the engineering is aimed at fleet‑level reliability rather than one‑off demos [3]. That stance dovetails with Swiss Post’s incremental test‑and‑validate posture [5].

In parallel, consumer delivery pilots add momentum. In Zurich, Just Eat teamed with RIVR to move meals using the wheeled‑leg robots, which operate around 15 km/h and are supervised in real time, with broader rollouts planned if performance and reception meet targets [4]. These consumer pilots help validate navigation, service quality, and public sentiment in live conditions—signals that regulators scrutinize when weighing permissions for wider deployments [4].

The partners behind Switzerland’s delivery robots push

The Regensdorf collaboration blends an incumbent deliverer, a major online retailer, and a robotics specialist. Swiss Post brings nationwide routes and safety culture; Migros Online brings dense order clusters and time‑sensitive items; RIVR contributes the RIVR ONE platform purpose‑built for stairs and curbs [1]. Framing the robot as “Physical AI,” RIVR is targeting parcels, groceries and meals—the three most common last‑mile payloads by volume in urban areas—through pilots with multiple logistics and food delivery partners in 2025 [3].

The RIVR ONE’s 30 kg capacity and stair‑climbing are tuned to Swiss housing stock where multi‑story walk‑ups are common, minimizing the need for lifts or building access changes [1]. By situating the robot as an assistant that moves between van and door, the partners can test workflow changes without redesigning entire routes or fleet operations, keeping experiments small, focused, and measurable [1]. If results are positive, the path to scale would likely begin with densest routes and buildings most benefited by stair‑capable carriers [2].

Public messaging has been careful to underscore the human‑in‑the‑loop approach. Swiss Post emphasizes that people remain indispensable and that robots are intended to reduce the heaviest lifts rather than to replace carriers, with next steps contingent on metrics gathered through mid‑September 2025 [2]. That clarity helps set expectations for staff and customers while the companies learn where robots add the most value—and where traditional methods remain best [2].

How delivery robots fit into broader Swiss innovation

Swiss Post’s current work builds on nearly a decade of experimentation with autonomous vehicles and delivery robots, guided by an internal innovation team that publishes test findings and recommendations [5]. The organization’s official guidance lays out where robots make sense—local consignments, follow‑me support roles, and environments where curb and stair challenges dominate—while cautioning that legal context can accelerate or delay adoption [5]. This methodical approach is designed to translate pilot results into policy and practice without overpromising timelines or capabilities [5].

For RIVR, Switzerland is both proving ground and launchpad. The company’s rebrand from Swiss‑Mile in March 2025 signaled a sharpened commercial focus, with pilots scheduled through the year and an explicit thesis that last‑mile demand is ready for scale if performance is consistent and city‑friendly [3]. The Zurich food‑delivery pilots—weather‑proof, monitored in real time, and running near 15 km/h—reinforce that the hardware and software can serve multiple verticals under the same mobility envelope [4].

Taken together, the Regensdorf field test, Zurich food runs, and Swiss Post’s structured evaluations point to a pragmatic Swiss model: narrow tasking, quantified results, and regulatory alignment before expansion [1]. The near‑term milestone is mid‑September 2025, when Swiss Post will assess data from selected‑day operations and decide whether to expand, iterate, or pause for further research on delivery robots [2]. If the numbers support it, the next visible step will likely be more routes, more buildings, and more assistants carrying 30 kg up the stairs so humans don’t have to [1].

Sources: [1] New Atlas – Delivery robots set to walk n’ roll in Swiss Post project: https://newatlas.com/robotics/rivr-one-delivery-robot-swiss-post/ [2] SWI swissinfo.ch – Swiss Post tests use of robots for parcel delivery: www.swissinfo.ch/eng/research-frontiers/swiss-post-tests-the-use-of-auxiliary-robots-for-parcel-delivery/89940924″ target=”_blank” rel=”nofollow noopener noreferrer”>https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/research-frontiers/swiss-post-tests-the-use-of-auxiliary-robots-for-parcel-delivery/89940924 [3] RIVR (company site) – Swiss‑Mile Becomes RIVR and Strengthens Focus on Last‑Mile Delivery: www.rivr.ai/stories/swiss-mile-becomes-rivr-and-strengthens-focus-on-last-mile-delivery” target=”_blank” rel=”nofollow noopener noreferrer”>https://www.rivr.ai/stories/swiss-mile-becomes-rivr-and-strengthens-focus-on-last-mile-delivery [4] Euronews – AI robot dogs deliver fast food in Zurich, as Just Eat pilots new technology: www.euronews.com/business/2025/08/22/ai-robot-dogs-deliver-fast-food-in-zurich-as-just-eat-pilots-new-technology” target=”_blank” rel=”nofollow noopener noreferrer”>https://www.euronews.com/business/2025/08/22/ai-robot-dogs-deliver-fast-food-in-zurich-as-just-eat-pilots-new-technology [5] Swiss Post (official) – Transporting goods with autonomous vehicles and delivery robots: www.post.ch/en/deliveryrobots” target=”_blank” rel=”nofollow noopener noreferrer”>https://www.post.ch/en/deliveryrobots

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