'We had to get out of the way': The backlash over delivery robots

Here is a story making headlines in the economy: 'We had to get out of the way': The backlash over delivery robots13 minutes ago Share Save Add as preferred on GoogleEmma WoollacottTechnology reporterAFP via Getty ImagesDelivery robots are now a common sight in some cities around the worldThe first time Chicago resident John Roberts saw a delivery robot trundling down the sidewalk on his street he was impressed. "I actually thought they were kind of neat – it felt futuristic," he says. But his attitude started to change when, soon after, he was out for a walk with his family.

As another robot approached, they found themselves having to dodge it. "To us it felt a little off - the fact that we were on the one strip reserved for walking, and we were having to get out of the way," says Roberts. "I started thinking about what it would be like for us to go for a walk as a family if there were dozens of robots with lights and cameras zipping around.

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"The robots, more formally known as autonomous urban delivery vehicles, have started to appear on pavements in a number of cities across the US, plus in the UK, Japan, South Korea and Germany, transporting groceries and fast food, using cameras, sensors and GPS to navigate. John RobertsChicagoan John Roberts has launched a campaign against delivery robotsAccording to the companies operating them, they can reliably identify and avoid objects in the path, cross streets safely and react to their environment. The robots provide a useful service and help cut down on traffic and emissions, they claim.

However, some local authorities in the US and Canada, and members of the public, are less than enthusiastic. Bans have been put in place, and protests have been launched. San Francisco has limited the access of the vehicles to less busy parts of the city, and Toronto has since 2021 prohibited the robots from using sidewalks.

Meanwhile, in Chicago the machines have now been banned from two small areas of the city. Roberts wants the robots to be suspended across all of Chicago until safety tests are carried out, and clear rules are set on their usage. He has launched a petition calling for this, and so far, it has around 4,400 signatures.

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People frequently find themselves having to step into the street in order to get out of the machines' way, says Roberts. "There have been reports of collisions and injuries. I saw one a few days ago where somebody had been struck by one of the robots' safety flags, which is a little ironic," he says.

"We've got reports of robots causing issues with traffic, blocking emergency vehicles because they're acting erratically at crosswalks. "Uber Eats delivery robots vandalised in SheffieldSelf-driving delivery robots rolled outSimilar concerns have emerged in Glendale, California, where the local council is considering a temporary ban on the use of the vehicles. Councillors say the robots appeared without warning, and at first they didn't even know which company was supplying them.

Financial markets are tracking the development closely as investors assess the likely impact.