Package delivery vans are so common on neighborhood streets that some people can tell who has arrived by the sound of the brakes stopping, the engine idling and the doors opening. But metro Denver residents should prepare for another sound on the streets, that of near silence, as Amazon rolls out more custom-made electric delivery vans from Rivian.
“This delivery van is a million times better than the others,” said Conner Hicks, a driver with GHG Transport, a delivery service provider that contracts to deliver packages for Amazon. “It drives better, controls better. There are safety features where I can see two cars ahead.” Amazon has come under fire for putting its distribution center employees under hectic working conditions with repetitive motions that. Where possible, the vans are designed to eliminate repetitive motions for drivers. For example, the bulkhead door to the back where packages are stored opens up automatically when the van is put into park and it shuts as the van goes into drive.
Features, such as lane assist and automatic braking, are designed to improve the safety of the all-wheel drive vans on the road. Without a gasoline engine, the front nose is shorter. Windshields are much larger and reach lower, allowing drivers to see hazards closer to the front vehicle, say a stray pet, and they are heated, keeping them free of ice and frost. Climate controls can adjust the temperature inside automatically and the seats are heated, improving driver comfort.
Now the trash I buy off of amazon can join the toxic waste from the batteries n the land fill.
Awesome! Now the trash I buy off of amazon can join the toxic waste from the batteries n the land fill.