Just Eat UK just launched a pretty innovative trial of four-legged delivery robots that bark to haul your grub across even the most treacherous cityscape hurdles. This pilot scheme features ten of Bristol and Milton Keynes’ independent restaurants. Secondly, it needs to focus on the most inefficient aspect of food delivery services. Originally created by RIVR, these robots are designed to not only climb stairs but navigate other urban obstacles that might stop conventional delivery methods in their tracks.
In Milton Keynes, two local retailers are participating in a revolutionary trial to pave the way for their adoption. 12th Street Burgers & Shakes and Moores Fish & Chips are in the front. Back in Bristol, eight local restaurants have signed up so far, including Jolly Fryer, Chicken Mews, and Bishopston Fish Bar. Each robot has small wheels on each foot, which allows them to cross a variety of landscapes.
The trial comes after a successful 3-month pilot program in Switzerland, which saw nearly 1,000 successful autonomous deliveries. This most recent testing phase is designed to test the capabilities of these robots in real city environments. In a company release, RIVR’s chief executive Marko Bjelonic highlighted the importance of such collaboration.
“This is an important step in scaling autonomous delivery across European cities.” – Marko Bjelonic
The four-legged robots are built to transport a recognizable orange Just Eat box on top of their backs. Onlookers have marveled at the sight of a human controller puppeting a sidewalk robot from a distance as it wanders through the city streetscape. In one of the coolest demonstrations, the robots climbed a craggy series of outdoor brick steps with great success. These steps are set into a grass bank with a hedge at the top.
According to Bjelonic, what’s important about the launch in Milton Keynes is that it’s all about trying to find practical solutions to automated delivery. These solutions are designed to plug right into their operations-oriented workflows.
“The launch in Milton Keynes reflects a shared focus on practical, automated delivery that integrates seamlessly into existing operations.” – Marko Bjelonic
The trial is a testament to amazing technological innovations coming to fruition. It paints an interesting picture of the many ways these relatively small robots can improve food delivery services in crowded communities. Uber Eats and Just Eat are running similar trials in the UK. Meanwhile, they’re testing the use of delivery drones in Ireland.
The need for smarter, more efficient delivery solutions has never been greater. With Just Eat UK’s recent partnership with RIVR, they’re leading the way in bringing autonomous delivery systems to every street corner in our cities. We are hopeful that this trial will result in marked success. Additionally, it could pave the way for greater adoption of comparable technologies in cities across the continent.