Uber Eats Japan Inc. and Mitsubishi Electric Corp. are introducing a new food delivery service in central Tokyo using self-driving robots, with initial operations limited to Tokyo’s Nihombashi district.
The robots, developed by Cartken Inc. and adapted for Japan by Mitsubishi Electric, can carry up to 20 kilograms and navigate at a maximum speed of 5 kilometers per hour.
Although initially offered in a small area with limited restaurant options, plans are underway to expand the service. These boxy robots, equipped with artificial intelligence and sensors, autonomously navigate sidewalks and avoid collisions with pedestrians and obstacles.
While users cannot specifically request robot delivery, they may receive it if selected for them. Despite concerns about potential job displacement, Uber Eats executive Alvin Oo reassures that human delivery partners will still be needed.
Such practices have already become common in certain US cities, with Serve Robotics, which spun out from Uber in 2021, deploying up to 2,000 sidewalk delivery robots.
This innovative initiative aligns with Japan’s recent change in traffic laws to accommodate delivery robots on public streets, addressing labor shortages and offering potential solutions for both urban and rural areas.
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