Austin, TX-- Lookout driving the streets in Austin, especially downtown. Likely, you already have eyes peeled for cars and bicycles, but in the heart of downtown, along South Congress, and throughout downtown, you'll begin seeing delivery robots.
That's right, robots will be making food and grocery deliveries. Refraction AI is rolling out a fleet of 10 robots as part of the robot revolution. The company, according to its website, is known for helping customers pick up goods from places like restaurants, pharmacies, and grocery stores and bring them directly to your house, enabling faster, cheaper, and safer delivery to meet customer’s growing expectations. Austin has plenty of bike and car lanes included in downtown infrastructure for the robots to use.
The robots will be remotely piloted--not automated--which means a person will be controlling the robots from afar. The robots can hold up to seven bags of groceries in their storage department.
The Austin Department is excited for the future of the robot delivery service and says to KXAN News:
"I think it can really transform the mobility landscape eventually if it catches on and with enough growth, it will be able to replace some trips being taken by SOVs or single-occupancy vehicles at this time,” said Jacob Culberson, the transportation department’s division manager for mobility services.
When you order pizza for delivery, it may be a robot that brings it to you. Autonomously operated robots will be helping Southside Flying Pizza make its deliveries throughout downtown Austin, Travis Heights, and along South Congress Avenue.
CEO Luke Schnieder says the company came to Austin because “the vast array of food and retail options that are woven into Austin’s unique neighborhoods — especially South Congress — align with our vision for last-minute delivery and make automated delivery an easy, convenient, affordable option.”
Refraction AI co-founders Matthew Johnson-Roberson and Ram Vasudevan in July 2019, but are already in Ann Arbor Michigan, Houston, and Miami. In Austin, the company has plans to increase the number of robots as more restaurants, shops, and groceries join the service.