If you see some self-driving cars in the Los Angeles area of the United States, then they are most likely on an Uber Eats automated delivery service.
Uber Eats, a food delivery service launched by transportation network company Uber back in 2014, partners with local restaurants in cities around the world to allow users to order food online via a mobile app and get their order from a delivery person some time later.
▲ Photo from: MTL Blog
The use of Uber Eats self-driving is currently limited to a small number of pilots, with sidewalk robots from Serve Robotics to provide short-distance deliveries in We st Hollywood and an all-electric self-driving fleet built by Motional to make long-distance deliveries in Santa Monica.
Uber Eats users living in the pilot area will be able to choose at checkout whether or not their food will be delivered by a self-driving car. Once selected, users can also track their food as usual and receive notifications when it arrives as well.
▲Image from: Uber
Users receive a code on their phone to unlock their vehicle and pick up the food they ordered, which could be in one of Serve Robotics' robots or in the back seat of one of Motional's cars.
However, there are also limitations to the current level of 'automation' of these automated delivery services, with a personal safety operator on board the vehicle during deliveries, according to Motional's testing permit rules with the California DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles.) Uber also says that operators will also drive delivery vehicles manually as needed when they are close to a customer drop-off location.
▲Image from: Motional
In addition, while Serve Robotics' robots are capable of operating under Level 4 autonomy in some cases. However, during the Uber Eats pilot, the robot will be monitored by a remote operator who will take over certain operations, such as crossing the street.
For its part, Motional also said that if there is a drop-off point near the delivery location, but not within Motional's current automated service area, the vehicle will operate manually in order to deliver the order to the customer's home, rather than having the user walk to meet the vehicle.
This is to ensure a convenient and seamless experience for customers and to maximise the opportunity to provide a contactless delivery experience for customers. As Motional's range of delivery autonomy services expands, more journeys will become fully autonomous in the future.
▲Image from: Serve Robotics
Since its inception, Uber Eats has been a standout service for Uber's performance and results, and with the epidemic, the demand for food delivery services has increased.Uber began experimenting with self-driving deliveries, possibly to better promote the service, and possibly to reduce the fees paid to drivers.
▲ Image from: Uber
But there are a number of obstacles to really getting this service off the ground. Self-driving cars alone still have a myriad of potential problems and poor safety at the moment, with allegations in 2018 that a self-driving Uber 'backup driver' killed a pedestrian when the driver was negligent with his phone.
▲Image from: Uber
Of course, the idea of automating food and drink delivery has merit in itself, making the delivery process safer for users and more efficient for Uber, but it may be worth waiting to see if the service will actually develop in the future as envisioned.