The Next Stage in Food Delivery is Here

Andrew Koole
· 3 min read
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Self-driving technology
has slowly etched its way into our lives over the last few years. While fully autonomous vehicles have yet to find their way onto American highways, the technology dominates the latest luxury cars and safety features.
Now, it’s entered the food delivery service, a market that grew exponentially during the pandemic. And while other tech companies like Amazon have introduced self-driving vehicles to the delivery businesses, a new company is taking the combination in a new direction.
Robomart is its name, and convenience is its game. Combined with a smartphone app, the company uses a fleet of self-driving vans to bring classic corner-store products to your door. The company started testing its store-hailing service in West Hollywood in late-2020 which officially launched in June 2021.
Food delivery services could be a lot less human in the future.

Robomart’s self-driving food delivery: the details

Binge-playing the latest game and need to refuel without going out? Working from home and feeling peckish?
Autoweek
says Robomart wants to be your new snack supplier.
The company hopes to be the snack service of the future, using its app to send mobile convenience stores door to door. The current fleet is comprised of Mercedes vans stocked with small items. No need to order beforehand—the store senses the items you choose via RFID tags and automatically charges the card you have on file.
Right now, Robomart hires drivers to man its mobile shops, but Autoweek says the company plans to do away with the human component once "Level 5 autonomy arrives."
MORE: Are Self-driving Trucks Really the Future of the Trucking Industry?
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Other companies investing in self-driving tech

Robomart’s minimart/Minority Report mashup might be the first of its kind, but the company’s use of autonomous vehicles for delivery service is not a new idea.
The
New York Times
says Uber began investing in autonomous vehicles back in 2015. But after the project became marred by legal troubles and a road test accident, the rideshare giant gave the project to a new start-up called Aurora.
Amazon has also jumped into autonomous transport, though from a different angle. You’ve probably seen the YouTube and TV commercials showing their sidewalk-traversing robots delivering packages in American neighborhoods.
The Verge
says the corporate monstrosity also owns Zoox, an autonomous taxi developer, and recently preordered 1,000 self-driving transport trucks from a California-based startup called Plus.

The current delivery industry remains human

For now, food delivery apps still rely on human drivers. If you’re looking for a side-hustle, driving Skip The Dishes, DoorDash, or Uber Eats is an easy way to use your car to make money.
But before you get started, you should shop around for rideshare insurance. Most of these businesses offer coverage while you’re on the clock, but there are gaps in the insurance they provide that could leave you vulnerable. Rideshare insurance fills the gaps so you can make your money without worry.
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