Robots Are Delivering Your Uber Eats Orders in Japan

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Forget drones and cars - the latest food delivery drivers don't need a driver's license. Uber Eats is now using autonomous robots to deliver your takeout orders in parts of Tokyo.

These futuristic robots roll down sidewalks to your door, courtesy of a new partnership between Uber, Mitsubishi Electric and Silicon Valley startup Cartken. The robots are about the size of a cooler and can carry a few bags of food at a time.

Cartken's sidewalk robots use advanced sensors, cameras and AI to navigate streets and avoid people or objects in their path. Uber says the bots will operate in a specific Tokyo neighborhood starting in late March, with details on hours to come.

This isn't the first robot food delivery service. Cartken and Uber already operate bot deliveries in Virginia and Miami. But the Tokyo project will be the first international expansion for Cartken, founded by ex-Google engineers in 2019.

The bots could be a game changer for food delivery, bringing your orders faster without sitting in traffic. And they never forget the soy sauce or get your address wrong. Uber Eats says the bot service will provide "greater reliability and affordability" for customers and merchants.

Mitsubishi Electric will oversee operations and safety in Tokyo. The company called robot delivery an "effective countermeasure" to future logistics challenges. This pilot aims to catalyze the spread of autonomous robots delivering food and more across Japan.

The bots are designed to operate day and night in all weather, unlike drones which struggle with wind and rain. While each robot carries only a few bags at a time, a whole fleet can meet demand without crowding roads like delivery cars and vans.

The electric bots also reduce noise and air pollution compared to gas vehicles sitting in traffic or idling outside restaurants. As cities look for sustainable urban transportation, delivery robots fit the bill.

Uber and Cartken plan to expand the service globally if the Tokyo pilot goes well. This could be the beginning of a robotic revolution in on-demand delivery.

Imagine sidewalks bustling with delivery bots instead of bikes and cars. Your dinner could arrive at your door just minutes after you order. And late night cravings can be satisfied without waiting for a driver.

Robots may become as common a sight as mail trucks one day. While it may take people time to warm up to robot waiters and baristas, they'll probably embrace bot food couriers. After all, you don't have to chat while they hand you your meal.

This is an exciting time for food delivery. Robots, drones, self-driving cars - we'll have more options than ever to get meals fast without human error. But even with advanced tech, bringing people their favorite pizza or pad thai is something to cheer about.

Source: https://techcrunch.com/2024/02/20/uber-eats-is-launching-a-delivery-service-with-cartkens-sidewalk-robots-in-japan/

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