NEW YORK (1010 WINS) – Good bot! Uber Eats is now dispatching robots to make deliveries in Jersey City—the first time the food delivery service has deployed the technology on the East Coast.
The rollout is part of a multiyear partnership between Uber Eats and Avride, a developer of autonomous vehicles and delivery robots.
“Uber Eats is excited to expand its partnership with Avride, which will bring autonomous robots to the heart of Jersey City, offering customers a new, effortless way to get their favorites delivered,” said Noah Zych, Uber’s global head of autonomous mobility and delivery operations.
The Avride robot deliveries have already been rolled out in Austin and Dallas, where Uber also plans to launch autonomous rides via Avride later this year.
The delivery robots have a range of 31 miles on one charge and can travel up to 5 mph, Uber said.
They’ve been tested to operate in “snow, rain or shine,” as well as subfreezing temps—good news given the recent weather.
Uber Eats customers who order from participating restaurants will be given the option to choose to have their meal delivered by an Avride robot or by a traditional courier.
The restaurants include Michelin-rated JiangNan, as well as Rumi Turkish Grill, Downtown Yogurt, Gulp, Amiya, and Short Grain.
The service will initially be available from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. for customers in downtown Jersey City, including Hamilton Park, Historic Downtown and the Waterfront.
Uber Eats plans to expand the restaurants and operating territory in the future.
Users can track the robot’s location in real-time in the Uber Eats app and will be notified when the bot has arrived. They can then tap “unlock” to open the hatch and grab their food.
The bots will wait up to 10 minutes for someone to pick up the food, and don’t take tips, the company said.