Over the past couple of years, we have seen companies explore the idea of contactless, autonomous delivery solutions, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic struck the world. It seems now Uber is trying its hand at autonomous food delivery for Uber Eats in Los Angeles in collaboration with two companies. Check out the details below.
Uber has announced two autonomous food delivery pilot programs in collaboration with Serve Robotics, which is a robotic sidewalk delivery startup, and Motional, an AV technology company. These two programs are said to mark the company’s “continued work to bring safe, reliable, and affordable autonomous technology to merchants and consumers everywhere.“
Customers will be charged for deliveries in addition to the cost of food, as per Uber. However, it is worth noting that Motional would need a deployment permit from the Department of Motor Vehicle (DMV) to be able to charge a fee for autonomous deliveries. In response to this query, Motional said that there will not be any fees specific to the delivery by a Motional vehicle during the pilot.
As for Serve Robotics, TechCrunch mentioned that there isn’t a law that restricts companies from using sidewalk robots for deliveries. Hence, Serve’s path is currently clear from the legal perspective. However, a human remote operator will be used to control the robots in certain situations like crossing the road. Uber also said that if a customer tips a Serve robot after successful delivery, they will be reimbursed.
