Overview
- Uber activated a limited pilot on March 10, running daily from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. in Center City with about six Avride robots shared by roughly two dozen restaurants.
- Customers track the robot in the Uber Eats app and unlock a locked compartment on arrival, with no extra fee and no tipping for robot deliveries.
- The battery-powered units travel up to 5 mph for about 1–2 miles, carry up to 55 pounds, and run for roughly 12 hours between charges.
- The robots use LiDAR, radar, ultrasonic sensors and cameras that blur faces and license plates, with remote supervisors able to intervene or secure a device if needed.
- State law requires PennDOT authorization and obliges robots to yield to pedestrians, as local questions linger about sidewalk congestion, accessibility and potential tampering.