Autonomous delivery robots silently moving on sidewalks have become a common sight in many US cities. Equipped with cameras and sensors, these small cooler-sized vehicles navigate sidewalks, crosswalks, and curbs on their own. However, as the number of robots increases, public reaction is growing at the same pace.
Thousands of Vehicles Reached in a Short Time
Serve Robotics stands out as one of the most aggressively growing companies in this field. The startup, which spun off from Uber to become independent, had a fleet of approximately 100 robots just a year ago, but today it has deployed nearly 2,000 autonomous vehicles operating in various cities.
Similarly, Starship Technologies and Coco are also on the field with fleets reaching thousands. This picture reveals that one of the most visible applications of artificial intelligence in daily life is now food delivery.
Each of these robots has a multi-layered sensing system. Cameras and lidar sensors integrated into the body map the environment in three dimensions. The software on the vehicle interprets the environmental context instantly, thanks to AI models trained with extensive street image datasets.
The robot independently decides whether to cross the street, yield to a pedestrian, or navigate around a construction site. It can tilt its body to maintain balance on uneven terrain. This entire process is recalculated and guided in milliseconds by an advanced route planning engine. The goal is to provide full autonomous movement capability at a pedestrian scale.
According to companies, the contribution of this technology is both economic and environmental. Manufacturers argue that transporting a meal with vehicles weighing over a ton is illogical in terms of energy and cost. According to calculations by consulting firm Thunder Said Energy Inc., a delivery robot consumes only 1% of the energy used by a motorcycle performing the same task. This ratio makes robots both a lower-cost and much more efficient alternative.
Vandalism on the Rise
A TikTok video (originally embedded in the article) shows incidents of vandalism against robots.
Another consequence of the rapid advancement and proliferation of technology is social tension. Images shared on social media show robots being kicked and even attempts made to dismantle them. Some incidents are considered theft attempts, while others are characterized as direct acts of protest.
In some cities, thousands of people are demanding a ban on delivery robots, claiming they obstruct sidewalks and pose a risk to pedestrians.
On the other hand, companies are focusing on design strategies to reduce public resistance. Serve Robotics' sidewalk robots are personalized with digital "eyes," blinking animations, and names like Deja or Niska. On the software side, robots slow down when approaching pedestrians and subtly turn to indicate their direction of movement, effectively "signaling."
CEO Ali Kashani argues that this approach is not a marketing gimmick but a psychological adaptation strategy. According to company data, 99.8% of planned deliveries are completed without incident.
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