Already a reality in Prague, Budapest next? – foodora tested robot delivery

The courier company is continuing its test program in Prague with self-driving robots that will deliver hot meals and groceries. The project is being implemented in cooperation with Starship Technologies, the world’s leading provider of autonomous delivery robots. foodora aims to simultaneously improve the speed, predictability and sustainability of the service.

An innovative form of sustainable and safe delivery

The partnership is also expected to bring environmental and road safety benefits. The robots are fully electric, and according to Starship Technologies, their operation in Europe has already saved more than 700 tons of CO₂ emissions. Each delivery consumes only as much energy as it takes to boil a cup of tea. An important aspect of the test project is that the food delivery company uses the technology where it helps couriers, for example in densely populated inner-city neighborhoods.

Pioneering logistics solutions across Europe

With the launch of the Czech test program, foodora further strengthens its position as one of the most innovative urban logistics players in Europe. The current launch is a continuation of successful pilot projects in Northern Europe (after Sweden and Norway’s Fornebu) and represents another step towards sustainable and modern delivery.

If the Prague test project is successful, foodora plans to introduce delivery robots in other cities in the Czech Republic, gradually expanding the network in Central Europe. The Czech and Swedish experiences together provide a knowledge base on which the company is building the urban logistics of the future: an efficient and sustainable system in which couriers, robots and drones serve customers faster, safer and in a more environmentally friendly way.

“Foodora has now become an integral part of the city, and we believe that the logistics of the future are unimaginable without our shaping participation. With the rapid development of technology, delivery robots may soon appear here too, but it is important to keep in mind: a development is truly successful if it provides a solution to a real problem.

In Hungary, our courier partners will always be indispensable, and we see technological opportunities more as a complement.

I currently see the real added value of robots in areas where they can significantly facilitate couriers.
These are areas where it is difficult for couriers to travel, such as parts of the city center that are difficult to access or blocked from traffic, or even just think of shopping malls, where robots can easily collect orders received by restaurants and deliver them to a collection point.

We are constantly examining these opportunities, and as soon as the technology is mature for practical application, we are ready to introduce it.” – adds Péter Garay, CEO of foodora Hungary.