December is always a busy month for delivery services, especially when it comes to indulging food wise… Uber Eats has picked this period to bring robot delivery to the UK, starting in Leeds before the end of the year. The company confirmed the rollout through a partnership announced last month with Starship Technologies.
The launch comes as winter demand starts to go up across the platform. Uber Eats said its own data shows searches for Christmas food rise quite a bit in December. Last year, searches for pigs in blankets went up 200% across the UK, according to figures from Uber Eats. That surge is one reason the company wanted extra delivery capacity in place ahead of the festive rush.
Leeds was chosen as the first location. Robot deliveries are running in Headingley, Burley and Hyde Park, areas known for student housing and dense residential streets. These neighbourhoods suit short distance deliveries, which match the robots’ operating range.
Saskia de Jongh, Uber’s EMEA general manager, said the timing fits one of the busiest periods of the year. She said the Leeds launch allows customers to order meals and essentials quickly during December evenings, when demand peaks and riders are stretched.
What Do The Robots Actually Do On Leeds Pavements?
The robots used in Leeds come from Starship Technologies. They travel on pavements and carry food from local outlets straight to customers’ doors. Each robot can cover up to 2km and complete a delivery in under 30 minutes, according to Starship.
The machines operate at high autonomy and Starship said someone oversees the fleet at all times and can step in if a robot needs help. The robots use cameras and sensors to move around people, pets and street furniture as they travel through neighbourhoods.
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Uber Eats said the robots will mainly deliver small meals and everyday orders. Items expected to arrive through the service are things like burgers, Greek wraps, Pad Thai and chocolate chip cookies. They would want to start with items are fast moving and easy to transport… Party food and essentials also sit high on the list during December.
The robots act as an extra set of wheels during busy restaurant hours. “Together, we’re building the infrastructure that will define the next generation of urban logistics,” said Ahti Heinla, co-founder and CEO of Starship Technologies. “Uber Eats has built the world’s leading delivery platform, with the widest reach, trusted by millions across 10,000 cities. We bring scalable autonomous technology that works profitably at city scale.”
“Autonomous delivery is an exciting part of how we see the future of Uber Eats,” said Sarfraz Maredia, Global Head of Autonomous at Uber. “Together with Starship, we’re bringing this future to life across multiple continents, leveraging Uber’s global scale and Starship’s proven autonomy to deliver efficient and affordable experiences for consumers and merchants everywhere.”
Right now, Starship says it runs around 2,700 robots and over 270 locations in 8 countries. With Uber Eats, they’re looking at more than 12,000 robots by 2027.
Local leaders also said some positive things about the launch. Councillor Jonathan Pryor, deputy leader and councillor for Headingley and Hyde Park, said he was proud that Leeds had been chosen as the first European city for Uber Eats robot deliveries. He said the project shows the city leading new delivery ideas at street level.
