Just Eat UK has begun a trial with four-legged, advanced delivery robots capable of traversing intricate commercial streets. The trial will take place in Milton Keynes and Bristol. It’s testing the effectiveness of autonomous robots to complement real-world, independent restaurant food delivery operations — collaborating with 10 independent restaurants across each city.
On Bristol, eight restaurants such as Jolly Fryer, Chicken Mews and Bishopston Fish Bar signed up for the trial. The Milton Keynes venues are 12th Street Burgers & Shakes, Moores Fish & Chips and Bedrock Exploration. These standalone shops will use the robots to improve their delivery operations, if not providing faster delivery times to their customers.
The RIVR robots are designed to overcome “chanllenging urban debris,” including stairs and other hindrances. Each robot features four legs, each equipped with tiny wheels on their feet. This innovative design allows them to go up and down stairs and travel through different rugged outdoor terrains without difficulty. In dense, resource-constrained, urban environments, this capability will deliver a tremendous benefit. Infrastructure shooters, slow traditional delivery methods just don’t cut it for these types of environments.
Before coming to CityLab, RIVR robots autonomously made almost 1,000 successful deliveries when deployed in a pilot program in Switzerland. Perhaps this experience has informed the ongoing trials happening in the UK. With the robots’ abilities established, Just Eat is now testing their capabilities in real city environments. Their eventual integration alongside existing operations is likely to make food delivery services even more efficient for restaurants enrolled in the service.
Marko Bjelonic, chief executive of RIVR, hailed the launch as a significant step. He stated that it represents “an important step in scaling autonomous delivery across European cities.” He used the Milton Keynes launch to emphasise their focus on outcomes. Further, these solutions make delivery processes seamless and automatic.
“The launch in Milton Keynes reflects a shared focus on practical, automated delivery that integrates seamlessly into existing operations,” – Marko Bjelonic, chief executive of RIVR.
During the trial, tooting their horn and honking their horn, the robots will lug an orange Just Eat box on their backs proudly. This colorful new addition will make it easier for customers to spot them. If successful, this trial would transform urban areas across the country into new markets for autonomous delivery systems. When scaled up, it has the potential to transform first and last mile food delivery in cities across Europe.