Robot Delivery Comes to Washington, D.C.

Autonomous robots will deliver groceries and takeout in the nation’s capital this fall.

September 26, 2016

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The robots are coming—well, at least to Washington, D.C. This fall, the first autonomous robots will start delivering restaurant food and groceries in the nation’s capital, Recode reports.

Starship Technologies will begin a pilot program with the robot “deliverymen” in Washington, the first U.S. location to okay ground-based robots on its sidewalks. The company is scouting for additional U.S. cities to conduct its tests, but in the meantime, Washington’s robot-friendly regulations makes it a logical starting place.

This summer, Starship started using the robots to deliver goods in England, Germany and Switzerland. In London, robots deliver for food companies, while Switzerland is using them for the post office. Other tech companies are in the process of developing robots to deliver goods, including Dispatch, which has yet to test a prototype.

As with their European counterparts, the robots will be accompanied by humans to ensure a smooth delivery. Since Starship’s rovers only have a two-mile radius, a delivery van will drop them off at central destinations.

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