A new fleet of autonomous food delivery robots just launched in Miami through a partnership with UberEats.

Why it matters: Serve Robotics, which recently began operating on the sidewalks of Miami Beach and Brickell, says its hope is to reduce traffic congestion and car emissions.

• Its tagline: "Why deliver two pound burritos in two ton cars?"

Driving the news: The electric delivery robots — which specialize in short-distance, "last-mile" trips — are available for orders at participating Mister 01 and Shake Shack locations.

Zoom in: Serve says its robots can travel up to 11 mph and haul up to 15 gallons of food — or four 16-inch pizzas — in its insulated cargo hold.

What they're saying: Ali Kashani, CEO of Serve Robotics, tells Axios the robots will, at least "for the foreseeable future," have a net positive impact on job growth, including among delivery drivers.

• Delivery robots, which don't ask for tips, will make deliveries cheaper, increasing demand among consumers and leading to more human and robotic delivery jobs, Kashani says.
• "Most people today don't do deliveries as much as they want," he said, citing high costs.

The other side: The launch raises questions about the proliferation of electric vehicles that congest our sidewalks.

• Lincoln Road, the pedestrian promenade where Serve now operates, restricts bicycle riding before 9am and bans recreational motorized vehicles. The city has some exceptions, including for "service vehicles authorized by the city."

Catch up quick: Serve is the latest robot delivery company to launch in Miami. The city has also been a testing hub for self-driving cars.

• UberEats launched a separate pilot program in Dadeland back in 2022.
• Tiny Mile's small, pink robots hit the downtown streets back in 2023.

What's next: The autonomous ride-hailing company Waymo is testing its vehicles in Miami with the goal of launching service in 2026.

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Martin and Sommer here. We tested out one of Serve's autonomous 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-fashioned 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.

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