Uber has announced the launch of an autonomous delivery test phase for its Uber Eats division. Located in Los Angeles, California, the trial is being carried out in collaboration with two companies: Motional, which specializes in autonomous driving, and Serve Robotics, which operates delivery robots.
Two pilot programs
The tests will be carried out in two different areas of the city depending on which company will be in charge of the delivery, and will start on a small scale and only deliver the products of a few traders, including an organic café and creamery called Kreation. Each of the tests will nevertheless be distinct; here are the terms.
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With Motional
If this partnership had already been announced at the end of 2021, it is surprising. Uber could indeed have chosen to partner with Aurora, a start-up which bought its autonomous driving division and in which the American giant holds a large share. This is the first time that Motional has tried autonomous delivery.
The test phase will take place in the Santa Monica sector, where the journeys to be covered are quite substantial and therefore cannot be carried out by a delivery robot. In accordance with California law, customers will not be charged for delivery as Motional requires a permit for this. This is not currently in his possession.
In addition, a security driver will be in the vehicle, and will be responsible for driving the delivery vehicle manually, if necessary, when near the delivery locations. ” If there is a drop off location nearby, but not within Motional’s current self-service area, the vehicle will be manually operated to deliver the order to the customer’s doorstep, rather than requiring them to walk to meet the vehicle autonomous. This is done to ensure a convenient and seamless experience for customers, and to maximize the number of opportunities to provide a contactless delivery experience to customers. “, said a spokesperson for Motional to TechCrunch.
” As Motional’s Autonomous Delivery Service Area Expands, More Rides Will Be Performed Fully Autonomously “, he continues.
With Serve Robotics
This partnership is not surprising since Serve Robotics is a subsidiary of Uber, created following its acquisition of Postmates, in which Nvidia recently invested. In this case, deliveries will be made in the West Hollywood area, where distances are shorter and can be carried out by a delivery robot moving on the sidewalk. Users will be charged this time for delivery in addition to the meal, since there is no law prohibiting such a practice in the state of California.
Capable of operating at Level 4 autonomy, the company’s robots do not need to be accompanied by a human being. Thus, they will be monitored by a remote operator who will take over in certain use cases, such as crossing the street.
Uber Eats users in both test areas will have the option of having their meal delivered by a self-driving vehicle and can track it as a normal delivery. When it arrives, they can unlock the vehicle using an access code and collect their meal, either in the cooler of a Serve Robotics robot or in the back seat of a Motional car.
Uber Eats hopes to democratize autonomous delivery if these tests are conclusive. Photography: charlesdeluvio / Unsplash
Autonomous delivery is moving forward, slowly but surely
” We will be able to learn from these two pilots what customers actually want, what merchants actually want, and what makes sense for delivery as we begin to integrate our platform with self-driving vehicle companies. The hope is that they are successful and that we learn over the next few months and then figure out how to scale “says Uber. The company, which is finally recovering from great difficulties caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, hopes to establish new partnerships in the future.
Autonomous delivery continues to grow, slowly but surely. It is above all the delivery robots that are on the rise across the Atlantic, and are notably tested in abundance on campuses. Shelved for a while, drone delivery also seems to be coming back into the limelight with companies like Wing rolling out to more and more areas.
Of course, these use cases are currently mostly seen in the United States; it is very likely that we will have to wait a few more years before seeing these technologies walking the streets of France.