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The partnership, announced on Tuesday, will see Uber Eats leveraging the technology expertise of Mitsubishi Electric and Cartken to deploy sidewalk robots for food delivery in a designated area of Tokyo by the end of March. This initiative marks Uber Eats’ first foray into autonomous delivery operations outside the United States.
Cartken, founded in 2019 by former Google employees in Oakland, California, has developed the “Model C” robot equipped with artificial intelligence for navigation. These robots are capable of navigating urban environments and matching human walking speeds, ensuring efficient and safe deliveries. Mitsubishi Electric will oversee the operations, ensuring seamless integration and regulatory compliance.
Anjali Jindal Naik, Cartken’s co-founder and COO, emphasized the significance of this collaboration in revolutionizing food delivery, making it more convenient and environmentally sustainable for consumers in Japan.
The announcement in Japan follows previous successful joint efforts between Uber Eats and Cartken, which have pioneered sidewalk robot deliveries in Miami and Fairfax, Virginia. Additionally, Uber Eats has formed partnerships with robotics companies like Motional, Nuro, and Serve Robotics to explore autonomous delivery initiatives in various U.S. cities.
The introduction of self-driving robot deliveries in Japan represents a strategic move by Uber Eats to expand its innovative delivery solutions and cater to evolving consumer preferences for efficient and contactless food delivery services.