You have entered the world of automated delivery robots if you see a little self-driving cart on the sidewalks of America in the coming weeks. A company called Postmates, San Francisco, has created these carts, called “Serve,” to make food deliveries more efficient.
The carts can carry up to 50 lbs and travel 25 miles on a single charge. Customers can check on the whereabouts of their “Serve” using an app which zeros in on the cameras mounted on top of the robot.
“Serve” will launch first in the Los Angeles area, and will be available in other U.S. cities over the next 12 months.
Local governments will work with Postmates to make sure the self-driving carts are safe and don’t interfere with pedestrians. Postmates hopes the 350,000 carts will be on the road in order to reduce congestion.
Oh my, Lois—so many questions pop into my mind, such as, ‘What’s to stop someone from just picking one up, taking it home, and having a free lunch?” Actually, this sounds like an excellent idea, and I can see it becoming very popular!
for home delivery great – what if you live in apartment building?