Uber Eats to unleash 2,000 AI-powered robots across the US that will drop off food orders

Thousands of four-wheeled robots will soon be delivering burritos, salads and other food orders to Uber Eats.

Robotics company Serve has been working with the delivery giant since 2021, and the companies announced on Tuesday that they are ready to unleash 2,000 self-driving bots in major US cities by 2026.

The small AI-powered machines can carry up to 25 kilograms of goods over a distance of 40 kilometers on a single charge, which Serve says is enough power for dozens of deliveries in one day.

Certain customers who order food through the Uber Eats app may be given the option to have their orders delivered by a Serve robot.

The partnership will provide customers with contactless deliveries.

The robot drives to its destination, but can only be unlocked with a secret access code given to the customer.

Once inside, the container lid opens so they can take their order out and enjoy the food without having to serve a human driver. .

Uber and Serve have begun testing California’s sidewalk robots, which Uber says is part of its global commitment to become a zero-emission mobility platform by 2040.

Serve’s robot delivery has grown more than 30 percent monthly since deliveries began in 2022, with more than 200 Los Angeles restaurants now participating.

Dr. Ali Kashani, co-founder and CEO of Serve Robotics, said in a statement: “We are excited to grow our partnership with Uber.

“This partnership is an important step towards the mass commercialization of robotics for autonomous delivery, and is a testament to the success of our collaboration.

“We are excited to continue our work with Uber to bring this innovative technology to more cities across the country.”

Uber is testing six-wheel robots from Cartken in Miami, Florida.

Certain customers ordering food through the Uber Eats app may be given the option to have their orders delivered by a Serve robot

The partnership will provide customers with contactless deliveries. The robot drives to its destination, but can only be unlocked with a secret access code given to the customer

Uber is testing six-wheel robots from Cartken in Miami, Florida

Cartken’s robots navigate sidewalks, crosswalks, and footpaths within the campus area without human guidance.

The robots use Cartken’s artificial intelligence (AI) and camera-based navigation and mapping technology, which the company developed to help small autonomous vehicles safely navigate around pedestrians.

If necessary, human override remains an option – for example when a path is blocked – to ensure reliable operation and minimize delivery delays.

Cartken’s robots operate at up to three miles per hour and can handle a variety of weather conditions, including rain and snow.

The delivery robots will first ship items in the Dadeland area of ​​Miami-Dade County and expand to other cities later this year.