Your next food order could be delivered by a robot.
DoorDash is running a pilot program in Redwood City, California, using Starship robots to deliver food from restaurants to customers. Postmates is already using these same robots in Washington, DC.
Up to a dozen delivery robots will roam the city covering short distances of one to two miles. Each unit has nine cameras and ultrasonic sensors for obstacle detection as they're designed to travel on sidewalks with pedestrians rather than on roads. These cameras also recognize traffic lights and crosswalk signals to navigate to their destination safely.
The robots can coast at speeds up to 10 mph, but are limited to 4 mph for safety.
Once an order is placed, the robot navigates to the restaurant where an employee or DoorDash handler puts the food inside the robot's container. To prevent food theft, the container can only be unlocked by the recipient.
In case someone tries to steal or vandalize the robot, it's equipped with cameras, GPS and alert systems. Handlers will accompany them for the time being, but eventually they'll be monitored remotely.