GrubHub, AVRide to Bring Robot Deliveries to More CollegesGrubHub, AVRide to Bring Robot Deliveries to More Colleges

Autonomous tech start-up AVRide is expanding its food delivery program thanks to a partnership with Grubhub.

Under the partnership, AVRide’s robots will be deployed at college campuses across the United States, allowing students to order snacks and meals through the Grubhub platform.

First to benefit is Ohio State University, where 100 bots are already in operation, serving students across the facility.

The collaboration follows a partnership with Uber Eats last year, which has seen AVRide’s bots fulfilling orders from the general public in Austin and Dallas.

The robots in question are the latest-generation four-wheelers that were introduced last year to replace the firm’s six-wheeled variants.

These are claimed to deliver enhanced efficiency and greater average speeds – particularly in high pedestrian areas – making them particularly suitable to handle the large number of deliveries a university campus is expected to generate.

In addition, the delivery robots make use of tech drawn from AVRide’s autonomous vehicles – the company has been assessing Hyundai Ioniq 5-based self-driving taxis in Auston – to confidently handle all sorts of scenarios and conditions, including rain and snow.

Lidar, ultrasonic sensors and cameras all help to deliver the autonomous functionality and although the robots operate at a relatively sedate pace – top speed is 5 mph – they have undoubted stamina, with sufficient battery power to work for 12 hours or longer.

Related:Uber to Offer Even More Self-Driving Taxis, Delivery Robots

And, importantly for students who may be planning a party with friends, the spacious storage compartment can accommodate up to six 16.5-inch pizzas and five 1.5-litre bottles of water or soda.

The robots also feature customizable LED panels, allowing colleges or even individual campuses to personalize them with their own graphics.

Further deployments on other campuses are expected in 2025, and Dmitry Polishchuk, CEO of AVRide, said: “Our robots have already proven their value in campus environments, delivering convenience and delight to students. We’re thrilled to be working with Grubhub to scale this success and expect to see hundreds of our robots serving campuses already in 2025.”

Rob DelaCruz, vice president and general manager of Grubhub Campus  added: “Working with Avride deepens our commitment to allow our campus partners to seamlessly integrate innovative delivery experiences into their dining operations.

“Students love the convenience of robot delivery, and we’re excited to continue offering our campus partners a variety of delivery options to best meet their unique needs.”

Related:Delivery Robot Retooled for Better Speed, Sharper Turns

Grubhub previously partnered with Kiwibot in North Dakota and Starship Technologies at a number of campuses, including in Indiana and Missouri, plus Texas and North Carolina.