Personal delivery robots are currently making 30 to 40 deliveries per day to local businesses and homes in Redwood City between 10 a.m. and 6:30 p.m.
It’s part of a pioneering, nine-month-long pilot project that was adopted by City Council one year ago and, according to the city, works to reduce road congestion by keeping robot deliveries on sidewalks, and offers some local businesses a chance to serve a greater number of customers.
At its Monday meeting, the city’s council will consider extending the pilot program, which expired in August and which has received just two public complaints to date. Council is also considering allowing a second robot operator to enter the city’s delivery market.
“The current model of robot operating in Redwood City can carry the equivalent of three grocery bags worth of goods and weighs about 50 pounds when fully loaded,” according to city documents.
The autonomous delivery device travels no more than four miles per hour and has nine on-board cameras that it uses to get around. It is assisted by a human controller when crossing streets.
The current robot provider has been Starship Technologies, which has expressed interest in continuing providing services in Redwood City, city staff said.
