Uber Expands Robot Delivery Service to Virginia

Uber is bringing its sidewalk robot delivery service to Fairfax, Virginia.

The service was established in collaboration with autonomous robot startup Cartken.  The first pilot rollout launched in Miami last year.

Under the partnership, Cartken provides its range of small-wheeled robots to autonomously collect and deliver food from Uber-affiliated merchants. Using an array of sensors to navigate their environment, the robots can travel up to six miles per hour and carry the equivalent of two bags of produce.

The Virginia rollout will bring the bots to Fairfax’s Mosaic District, a shopping and dining center.

"We are excited about how this partnership with Uber will bring the advantages of robotics to food delivery—and ultimately create more connected communities," said Christian Bersch, Cartken’s CEO. "Together, we have the opportunity to reduce traffic congestion, help local merchants to increase delivery capacity, and bring consumers fast, convenient, and emission-free deliveries."

“Cartken is at an inflection point,” said Anjali Jindal Naik, Cartken’s COO. “We are rapidly bringing our AI, computer vision, and lidar-less autonomous robots to more places, like Mosaic District, in partnership with Uber Eats.”

The news comes as Uber is expanding its autonomous vehicle portfolio. The company has already entered partnerships with Serve Robotics to establish an autonomous delivery service in Los Angeles, as well as with Motional for a robotaxi service in Las Vegas, with both of these projects announced last year. 

Related:Uber Eats Offers Robot Food Delivery in Miami

Cartken’s delivery robots are also being deployed by Grubhub to bring autonomous food service to students at Ohio State University.