We ordered UberEats from Miami's new delivery robots
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We tested out one of Serve Robotics' new food-delivery robots last week in South Beach to see how they'd fare against Miami's notoriously bad drivers.
State of play: The Serve team ordered some burgers from Shake Shack on Lincoln Road and had Olivia (the robot) deliver them to the Kimpton Hotel Palomar South Beach, as we followed on foot.
First impressions: Serve bots look like a high-tech beer cooler with four stroller wheels and two blinking "eyes."
- They go a little faster than an average walking pace but slow down when someone or something crosses their path.
How it went: On the UberEats app, we clicked the prompt for "autonomous delivery" and watched as a Shake Shack employee placed our order inside Olivia's insulated cargo compartment. (Customers can use their phone to unlock the cargo hold.)
- Olivia's acceleration was a little jittery. She'd jerk forward and brake cautiously, but she safely followed the 0.3-mile delivery route, maneuvering around tight corners and crowds of people.
Everything was going smoothly until a bright orange Lamborghini Urus blocked the crosswalk on 17th Street and Alton Road.
- We walked around, but Olivia waited for the luxury SUV to pass before joining us.
- Kashani, Serve's CEO, tells Axios that the robots can't cross the street without receiving the green light from a human technician monitoring remotely. (If the robot ever needs help, a human can take control, too.)
Our thought bubble: Sommer is still skeptical. Call her old fashion but she prefers human interaction. Plus, for a less than one-mile walk, she'd opt to get a walk-in and pick up her order.
Go deeper: Miami's newest robot fleet handles UberEats deliveries