Ever wondered what food delivery would look like if robots handled the job? A major delivery service unveils plans to introduce delivery robots in New Mexico.
DoorDash representatives met with state lawmakers Tuesday to discuss the future of autonomous robot food delivery. They urged lawmakers to establish standardized regulations so the robots can operate on streets statewide.
“Steps toward a legal pathway begin with these conversations to ensure we have support at the state and local levels before moving forward,” said a DoorDash spokesperson as reported by KOB 4.
DoorDash’s autonomous robot, “Dot,” is already operating in several U.S. cities. It primarily uses bike lanes, but it also travels on streets, including those in Phoenix and San Francisco.
Mixed Views on Robot Food Delivery
According to KOB 4, some New Mexicans said they worry Albuquerque, in particular, could pose a much greater challenge for the robots.
“You know, again, we don’t know until we try. And I know in Albuquerque, you do see the vandalism, the graffiti, and things like that,” said UNM worker Andrew Lovato.
Autonomous robot delivery already exists on college campuses, so some people may already be familiar with it.
For one, Grubhub has operated robots on the UNM campus for about two years. However, some still question whether the robots should operate beyond a college campus.
“People are overestimating how much people are going to, like, kick them. I think they might get kicked,” said UNM student Cheyenne Hajagos. “But I really don’t know how often that would happen.”
Meanwhile, some New Mexicans hope DoorDash will expand the service across the state. They believe robot deliveries could help bring fast food and groceries to people who would benefit from them.
“But I do feel like it is an opportunity for Albuquerque to grow and experience something new,” said Albuquerque resident Allicia Moya. She noted she saw similar robots often when she lived in Los Angeles.
Robot Delivery Plan Remains Under Discussion
DoorDash has not set a timeline for rolling out the robots in the state as it continues discussions with lawmakers. The company said the initial meeting was part of its efforts to “explore an expansion in New Mexico.”
“Although we presented to the New Mexico Transportation Infrastructure Revenue Subcommittee on Tuesday, we have no immediate plans to roll out Dot in New Mexico,” said a spokesperson via email through KOB 4.
DoorDash has maintained that its robots are not meant to replace human workers. The company made the statement in response to concerns that a full rollout could leave many people jobless.
However, the company has said Dot is designed to handle short-distance deliveries between three and five miles. It said those trips typically are not as profitable for human delivery drivers.
