Companies in Milton Keynes and Bristol have been trialing RIVR robots. These new, pioneering delivery units are meant primarily to overcome big city challenges. Sticking to your commute route, for instance. These four-legged bots have retractable wheels on each foot that help them deal with “difficult city terrain” pretty dang well.
RIVR has partnered with Just Eat UK to deliver this trial. Here’s a closer look at how they’re working to strengthen autonomous delivery capabilities in cities across Europe. In Milton Keynes, local establishments 12th Street Burgers & Shakes and Moores Fish & Chips are getting in on the act. At the same time, the Bristol trial has eight restaurants on board, including Jolly Fryer, Chicken Mews and Bishopston Fish Bar.
Marko Bjelonic, chief executive of RIVR, underscored the importance of this partnership. He stated,
“This is an important step in scaling autonomous delivery across European cities.”
Human operators are remotely controlling the robots from outside the trial area to maintain safety. This arrangement enables them to evaluate the robots’ behavior on-the-fly without cityscapes.
This new pilot comes after a successful pilot completed in Switzerland, where almost 1,000 autonomous deliveries were completed. These trials in the UK are an exceptional opportunity. Their feedback and insight will undoubtedly inform how we make the RIVR robots function better and become more reliable for future deployments.
RIVR robots are just one of the intriguing new innovations in delivery technology. Delivery drones are flying in Ireland, signaling the delivery industry’s transition to more high-tech solutions. As our cities’ landscapes and needs shift, autonomous deliveries will be key in helping fulfill our new logistical challenges.
The RIVR bots have a set of bright orange Just Eat boxes on their backs. They are emblematic of an exciting, brave new world in food delivery services. The trial will not only examine their ability to navigate stairs but how they perform in everyday city scenarios.