Skip to main content

These beefy autonomous warehouse robots can carry up to 3,300 pounds at a time

Yes, they may look like a pair of particularly beefy contestants from Robot Wars, but the newly-announced Freight 500 and Freight 1500 are actually a pretty darn impressive duo of transportation robots — designed to ferry cargoes of up to 1,100 lbs (for the Freight 500) or up to 3,300 lbs (for its bigger brother) around warehouses. Just don’t get on their wrong side!

“Fetch Robotics creates Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMR) and the software that manages them for the warehouse and logistics industry,” Melonee Wise, CEO of Fetch Robotics, told Digital Trends. “Like their predecessor, Freight, [the Freight500 and the Freight1500] are designed to follow warehouse workers as they complete their tasks of picking items from warehouse shelves. Fetch robots can dynamically navigate a warehouse rather than following a fixed route, and contain sensors to avoid obstacles. The new robots address the full range of a warehouse’s needs for conveying everything from pieces to cases and pallets.”

Despite being able to ferry around hefty cargoes, the robots themselves are just 14 inches tall. They move using LiDAR sensors at the front and rear, as well as an RGBD camera, while battery life is a not-unimpressive 9 hours. Even when you do run out of battery, recharging to 90 percent takes only one hour — so your warehouse won’t grind to a halt for the rest of the day while they power up again. Get a few them working together and you should have no problem setting up a facility that can work 24/7.

Recommended Videos

Currently the two robots are having final touches made, before they roll for a pilot scheme in the “next three to four months.” After that, they’ll be generally available to the market.

At which point our application process to get the Freight1500 on the next series of Robot Wars can truly begin in earnest!

Luke Dormehl
I'm a UK-based tech writer covering Cool Tech at Digital Trends. I've also written for Fast Company, Wired, the Guardian…
Sebastian Stan lays out Bucky’s future after Thunderbolts
Sebastian Stan in Thunderbolts.

There are some spoilers ahead for the ending of Marvel's Thunderbolts. Stop reading now if you don't want to be spoiled.

Earlier this year, Captain America: Brave New World briefly introduced a new direction for James "Bucky" Barnes, a character Sebastian Stan has been playing since 2011 in Captain America: The First Avenger. In Brave New World, the former Winter Soldier apparently retired from being a reformed hero and went into politics by running for Congress. Thunderbolts reveals that Bucky won his election to the House of Representatives. But his stay in Congress was short.

Read more
Jeep Compass EV breaks cover—but will it come to the U.S.?
jeep compass ev us newjeepcompassfirsteditionhawaii  4

Jeep just pulled the wraps off the all-new Compass EV, and while it’s an exciting leap into the electric future, there's a catch—it might not make it to the U.S. anytime soon.
This is a brand new electric version of the Jeep Compass, and being built on Stellantis' STLA platform—the same architecture underpinning models like the Peugeot E-3008 and E-5008—it looks much slicker and packs a lot more inside than previous versions of the Compass.
Let’s start with what’s cool: the new Compass EV is packing up to 404 miles of range on a single charge, a 74 kWh battery, and fast-charging that gets you from 20% to 80% in about 30 minutes. Not bad for a compact SUV with Jeep's badge on the nose.
There are two versions: a front-wheel-drive model with 213 horsepower and a beefier all-wheel-drive version with 375 horsepower. That AWD setup isn’t just for looks—it can handle 20% inclines even without front traction, and comes with extra ground clearance and better off-road angles. In short, it’s still a Jeep.
The design's been refreshed too, and inside you’ll find the kind of tech and comfort you’d expect in a modern EV—sleek, smart, and ready for both city streets and dirt trails.
But here’s the thing: even though production starts soon in Italy, Jeep hasn’t said whether the Compass EV is coming to America. And the signs aren’t promising.
Plans to build it in Canada were recently put on hold, with production now delayed until at least early 2026. Some of that might have to do with possible U.S. tariffs on Canadian and Mexican vehicles—adding a layer of uncertainty to the whole rollout.
According to Kelley Blue Book, a Stellantis spokesperson confirmed that the company has “temporarily paused work on the next-generation Jeep Compass, including activities at” the Canadian plant that was originally meant to build the model. They added that Stellantis is “reassessing its product strategy in North America” to better match customer needs and demand for different powertrain options.
So while Europe and other markets are gearing up to get the Compass EV soon, American drivers might be left waiting—or miss out entirely.
That’s a shame, because on paper, this electric Jeep hits a lot of sweet spots. Let’s just hope it finds a way over here.

Read more
Charlie Cox singles out his least favorite Daredevil: Born Again episode
Charlie Cox in Daredevil: Born Again.

Daredevil: Born Again season 1 was largely reconceived after the 2023 actor and writer strikes. Dario Scardapane -- a veteran of The Punisher series on Netflix -- was brought in to be the new showrunner and he made a lot of changes to the series that were well-received. However, there's one episode that Scardapane didn't really change at all, and it happens to be the least favorite episode of Daredevil: Born Again's leading man, Charlie Cox.

During an appearance on The Playlist, Cox noted that he wasn't very fond of the season's fifth episode, "With Interest," which was a largely standalone episode that featured his character, Matt Murdock, in a bank during a hostage crisis.

Read more