Just Eat Takeaway Tests Autonomous Ground Robots For Food Delivery

Just Eat Takeaway.com claims to be the first on-demand delivery service to pilot wheeled-legged hybrid robots equipped with Physical AI in Europe.

The RIVR ground robot features legs for climbing stairs and curbs, in addition to wheels, distinguishing it from its peers.

Equipped with Physical AI, the robot is capable of avoiding obstacles, like rubbish cans or grass, and safely moves around pedestrians, vehicles and cyclists.

Zornitsa Chugreeva, senior global innovation director, added, “At Just Eat Takeaway.com, our vision is to empower everyday convenience, and we believe automation is an important driver in bringing that vision to life.

“It drives our commitment to exploring, testing and integrating innovations and technologies, all aimed at enhancing our service and driving an even better experience for our ecosystem.”

Pilot Project

The pilot will see the RIVR robot delivering food orders in Zurich, Switzerland, from local restaurant Zekis World.

Just Eat Takeaway.com added that it plans to introduce robotic delivery solutions to other European cities later this year, with potential expansion into retail and convenience stores.

The new robotic delivery complements the company’s efforts to explore innovative delivery options.

Previously, the company announced plans to launch a drone delivery service in Ireland, powered by Manna, to boost operational efficiency.

Marko Bjelonic, chief executive officer of RIVR, stated, “Our collaboration with Just Eat Takeaway.com is a glimpse into a future where automation blends naturally into our cities, helping people get what they need, when they need it.

“Physical AI allows our robots to understand and adapt to the real world. It’s a step toward making autonomous delivery not only efficient, but intuitive, safe, and truly human centred.”

How It Works

The RIVR robot operates at approximately 15 kilometres per hour, and its robust design allows it to operate reliably in diverse weather conditions, including rain, snow, high heat, and wind.

The robot is designed to handle large orders, with a capacity of 40 litres and an internal wall, to prevent spillage.

The handover process is similar to a courier delivery, featuring a secure locking mechanism. The partner secures the order inside the robot, and the customer unlocks the Physical AI allows our robots to understand and adapt to the real world. It’s a step toward making autonomous delivery not only efficient, but intuitive, safe, and truly human centred cargo bin after being notified of its arrival, the company noted.

Moreover, every delivery is monitored in real time from a monitoring centre, and the device is programmed to instantly stop in emergencies, either automatically or via remote command.

It also features lights and a flag, for high visibility during the day and night.