Starship Technologies has rolled out its self-driving food delivery robots in Sunderland. This move is a temporary trial, in partnership with online food delivery giant Just Eat. This creative, state-supported project allows residents to place real orders from a dozen locally owned eateries. Koji is one of the first restaurants in the world to try this exciting new technology. Through this trial, they hope to better understand the benefits and challenges of incorporating robotic delivery systems into the fabric of daily life.
Their robots are equipped with six durable rubber wheels that deliver impressive traction. A bright orange pole, marked at the top with a flashing flag, alerts everyone around to their presence. Brandishing sophisticated cameras and sensors, these robots weave through the busy sidewalks of Sunderland in a highly efficient and safe manner while delivering food and parcels. The trial has been very well received so far, marking a successful addition to the city’s current delivery ecosystem.
Starship Technologies founder and chief executive Ahti Heinla early on made clear that these are not meant to replace delivery workers. They shouldn’t be seen as a replacement for human jobs. He stated, “We are adding a new delivery option and it doesn’t replace people.” On the ground, Heinla saw incredible demand for courier services. He said robots could supplement this need, particularly at peak times or when staff are short.
Peter Richardson of Koji joined us to explain how robots can help address staffing shortages. These are all pretty standard problems for many small businesses at their busiest times. He remarked, “It’s such a unique thing and not something you expect to see,” highlighting the novelty of seeing robots deliver food. Richardson said they could act as a supplement in times of unexpected crises, keeping deliveries running without a hiccup.
Industry stakeholders aren’t the only ones optimistic about the promising applications for this technology. Eugene Murphy doubted whether that kind of advancement is needed or even desirable. He agreed with the generalities about the inevitability of technological progress but pushed back on whether that made sense to continue in the current context.
Concerns about potential job displacement have likewise been expressed by advocacy organizations. IWGB President Alex Marshall described the introduction of delivery robots as “dystopian.” He cautioned that this transition is rendering human workers “obsolete, without compensation.” This skeptical sentiment resonates with plenty of Americans. Even more pragmatically, as ARUP’s Rachel Atkinson told us, her young son Teddy would say the robots are “a little insane.” He’s concerned that they could lead to significant job losses.
So all of these worries have this underlying assumption that Heinla’s future — one with human couriers and delivery robots working side-by-side — won’t happen. He stated, “I think there will be more and more both human couriers and delivery robots,” noting that certain delivery routes will still require human involvement.
As Sunderland continues to make this digital transformation, people like local resident Shaun Taylor see things going in the right direction. He added that the city was “only being smart and getting with the program,” as it plunged headlong into innovation but attempted to acknowledge the challenges it poses.