Uber launches robot food delivery in California

　　div classBodysc17zpet90 cdBBJodivpBy Tina Bellonp

　　pReuters – Uber Technologies Inc on Monday said it launched pilot food delivery services with autonomous vehicles in two California cities, and said it was adding electric vehicle charging stations into its global driver app.pdivdivdiv classBodysc17zpet90 cdBBJodiv

　　pThe announcements are part of Ubers annual product event where the ridehail and food delivery company showcases the latest updates to its app.p

　　pUber announced one food delivery service using autonomous cars, and a separate pilot using sidewalk robots. Both services are available to Uber Eats users in Santa Monica and West Hollywood in California, and consumers will have the ability to opt out of the programs. p

　　pThe autonomous car pilot is in collaboration with Motional, the selfdriving joint venture of Hyundai Motor Co and Aptiv PLC, and was initially announced in December. It launched on Monday, Uber and Motional said.p

　　pUber said the sidewalk robots are provided by Serve Robotics, a spinoff of delivery company Postmates, which Uber acquired in 2020.p

　　pThe vehicles in both services are actively monitored by human operators, Uber said, adding that “it will be some time before this technology is operated at scale.”p

　　pSelfdriving companies have repeatedly pushed out timelines to provide truly driverless trips at scale, with only a few limited fully autonomous programs available across the U.S.p

　　pUber on Monday also said it was launching a map of electric vehicle charging stations in its driver app in the U.S. this summer, and later worldwide, in an effort to promote drivers switching to a batterypowered vehicle. p

　　pUber, which aims to have only electric vehicles on its platform in the United States, Canada and Europe by 2030, said charging was one of drivers biggest obstacles to switching to EVs.p

　　pThe company also said it was launching an option this summer to rent party and coach buses, and passenger vans through its U.S. app in collaboration with rental service US Coachways.p

　　p

　　pp Reporting by Tina Bellon Editing by Frank Jack Danielp

　　divdivdiv classBodysc17zpet90 cdBBJodivdivdiv