Amazon wants to add an automated vehicle inspection facility on its property in Aleppo Township Industrial Park.
Company spokesman Sam Fisher on Feb. 26 said he did not have any township-specific information but shared a report with an overall look at the devices.
The machine uses a series of plates equipped with sensors and cameras to identify potential issues before they become on-road problems, according to the company report.
Delivery vehicles would roll through the machine at about 5 mph and be fully scanned in seconds by artificial intelligence-based technology to spot anomalies, from tire deformities and undercarriage wear to bent or warped parts.
Problems are then classified based on severity. The AI system sends the results to a computer. A delivery service partner could then determine the fixes and services needed to have the vehicles safely back on the road.
Officials said the inspections help improve the safety of the nearly 390,000 drivers who help deliver packages to Amazon customers through various delivery service partners worldwide.
About 20 million packages are delivered to customers every day worldwide.
Amazon first unveiled the automated vehicle inspection technology in 2023 in partnership with tech startup UVeye in the U.S., Canada, Germany and the U.K.
The Aleppo commissioners voted 4-0 to approve the company’s land development plan Feb. 17. Commissioner Amy Richert was absent.
Township Commissioners President George Jones said the planning commission and township engineers reviewed and recommended the project’s approval.
“The project will improve maintenance of Amazon vehicles and thereby improve the safety of traffic in Aleppo and surrounding communities,” Jones said. “The project and its approval demonstrate the ongoing cooperative working relationship between Amazon and Aleppo.”
Same number of daily van trips anticipated
Township officials said they expect about 180 van trips from the site per day. Only vehicles linked to the distribution site will use its inspection machine.
“This new development is not going to increase the number of vans that operate out of this particular warehouse,” Township Manager Gwen Patterson said. “That was a concern of some residents.”
There were no stormwater concerns with the inspection facility because it will be installed on existing pavement on the far side of the warehouse.
Amazon must obtain a building permit from the township’s building inspector before construction can begin.
It was unclear when the machine would be up and running or how much the total investment costs.