Starship Technologies has created autonomous food delivery robots. Aside from Paris, they are being trialed in Sunderland by online delivery company Just Eat. This creative solution not only supports restaurants during high-demand hours, it addresses the labor shortage that they face. That’s why they recruited twelve local eateries to the pilot program.
You can’t miss the robots with their bright orange color and Just Eat branding. They ride on six thick rubber wheels, and an oversized pole with a waving, ant-sized orange flag flutters from the top of each. Even more impressive is the way they weave through the city center’s bustling streets and arterial highways. New advanced camera systems help them avoid obstructions and remain on their prescribed course.
Peter Richardson, the general manager of Koji, breaks the good news. On the positive side, both customers and staff love the robots at his restaurant. That’s because he sees a unique opportunity for these robots to solve staffing problems that virtually every business with busy rush times faces.
“If one day something did go wrong and drivers went, there you’ve got that back-up, so you can still get that food out,” – Peter Richardson
Starship Technologies has repeatedly highlighted that these robots aren’t meant to replace human workers, but leave it up to them. To kick things off, Ahti Heinla, the founder and CEO of Starship, made a pretty big announcement. He stressed that these robots will give customers a new delivery alternative. He noted that although the technology will be key in meeting increasing demand, some delivery routes will still require human couriers.
“We are adding a new delivery option and it doesn’t replace people,” – Ahti Heinla
Even with excitement from the business owners, many local residents are not on board. Rachael Atkinson warned against negative impacts of robots on local workers. She challenged how these machines would eventually increase job prospects for area workers. Eugene Murphy, then director of the U.S. understood that its omission was a huge deal in today’s delivery systems.
The Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB) has voiced its apprehension regarding the deployment of these vehicles, likening their introduction to a “warning alarm” for workers’ rights and job security. IWGB president Alex Marshall called the development “dystopian,” emphasizing the dangers it could pose to conventional delivery jobs.
The trial that is now underway in Sunderland. Whatever the case may be, it will truly be remarkable to witness how these miniature monstrosities revolutionize the food delivery industry. Second, technological advancement is accelerating. As more businesses pursue these new models, the tension between innovation and job preservation will continue to make for an important discussion.