Yes, that’s Ed Sheeran’s song, “Shiver,” but kidding aside, and case in point, Uber Eats is literally shivering, now that there are new delivery robots that only charge as little as $3 flat fee.
The company behind these robots is Robomart, a startup that crafts self-driving delivery robotics-run equipment, based in Los Angeles, California.
This level-four autonomous vehicle is capable of carrying up to 500 pounds. There are also 10 individual lockers to seal and hold customer orders inside safely. This, opening possibilities for batch ordering. Or, the robot can deliver multiple items simultaneously.
It will begin working in Austin, Texas.
The way Robomart is going to do it is roughly similar to other on-demand delivery systems and food delivery platforms.
Robomart’s co-founder and chief executive officer, Ali Ahmed, added that the difference in this partnership is the costs for customers, which will just be a $3 flag delivery fee. Even if you collect tons of coupons, it’s hard to make the price you pay just $3.
“We see this as building our own autonomous marketplace,” the CEO stated. “That is something that is pretty unique in this space, an autonomous marketplace for on-demand delivery using self-driving robots.”
This marks an expansion from the roots and history of Robomart. It was founded in 2017 and started doing pilot tests, piloting autonomous or self-driving “store on wheels” during the height of the pandemic in 2020. Customers were also to request pharmacy items and ice cream.
“Our robots bring the cost of a delivery down by up to 70 percent,” Ahmed sjared. “That is a critical difference. If you are paying a driver $18 an hour, your cost, just for that driver, is $9 to $10 per delivery.”
It’s a promising affair, so the company has already raised almost $4 in funding. Who wouldn’t be able to get interested with this nice offer?
“… And that has enabled us to build five generations of robots and now deploy the first autonomous marketplace for the road. I’m proud of our team, and it’s a testament to how much we have been able to achieve.”
Meanwhile, in other Uber Eats news, this one’s most optimistic. It’s not about a competitor, but about its own services.
Following the introduction of a robot food delivery in Jersey City earlier this year, ride-hailing giant Uber Eats and autonomous car startup Avride have more than doubled the service’s local operating territory.
The program started in February, and since then, has expanded to nearby districts. It is a multi-year partnership with Uber Eats.
“We’re really touched by the way people in Jersey City have embraced our robots. The reaction has been incredibly warm – we constantly see videos, photos, and conversations on social media, and the sentiment is overwhelmingly positive. The animated eyes have become a clear favorite. When one of these little robots rolls by flashing heart-shaped eyes, it’s just impossible not to smile,” the companies’ representatives pointed out.
Prior to Jersey City, this projec were already ongoing and moving in Austin and Dellas. Since then, Avride has delivered tens of thousands of meals to Uber Eats customers from over 200 restaurants across those three cities.