Serve Robotics, a robotic sidewalk delivery company, has given more insight into the scope of its partnership with Uber Technologies, which was announced in November 2021. Serve and Uber’s commercial agreement allows for Serve to deploy its robots on Uber Eats in multiple markets across the US, with up to 2,000 Serve robots to be deployed.
“We are thrilled to be growing our partnership with Uber,” Dr. Ali Kashani, co-founder and CEO of Serve Robotics, said. “This partnership is a major step towards mass commercialization of robotics for autonomous delivery, and it is a testament to the success of our partnership. We are excited to continue our work with Uber to bring this innovative technology to more cities across the country.”
Serve’s robotic deliveries have grown 30% month over month since it started deliveries in 2022, and over 200 restaurants in Los Angeles, where the robots were first deployed with Uber, are now participating.
Serve’s delivery robots navigate the sidewalks of LA with Level 4 autonomy and multiple sensor modalities. The sensors include active LiDAR and ultrasonic sensors as well as passive camera sensors. The robots are completely autonomous, according to the company. They don’t require any form of human assistance to complete deliveries.
The robots can carry up to 50 lbs (18.7 kg) for 25 miles (40.2 km) on a single charge. Items in the cargo compartment are secured and can be unlocked with a phone app or passcode.
The company began in 2017 as the robotics division at Postmates, a subsidiary of Uber. It became an independent company in February 2021, with a mission to make delivery more affordable, sustainable and accessible. Serve brought in a $10 million investment from Nvidia in March 2022, and $13 million in an expanded seed funding round in December 2021.
Serve also has a partnership with Walmart and has some robots deployed in Bentonville, Arkansas. Serve Robotics confirmed that the company’s robots have been operating in Bentonville, but declined to comment further.
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