Mobility technology firm Uber Technologies, Inc. (Uber) and Cartken, a robotics company, have announced a new partnership to provide food deliveries using robots in Miami, Florida.
Uber Eats customers can now place orders that will be delivered by Cartken’s self-driving robot fleet.
Starting today [15 December], Uber and Cartken will begin operating with select merchants in the Dadeland area of Miami-Dade County, with plans to expand in Miami-Dade and to additional cities in 2023.
Currently, Cartken’s bots, powered by artificial intelligence (AI), provide food and grocery deliveries, campus meal deliveries and kerbside pickups across the country.
Uber has said the partnership with the robot delivery service represents its first formal collaboration with a global on-demand delivery app beyond college campuses.
“We are excited about how this partnership with Uber will bring the advantages of robotics to food delivery—and ultimately create more connected communities,” said Christian Bersch, co-founder and CEO at Cartken.
“Together, we have the opportunity to reduce traffic congestion, help local merchants to increase delivery capacity, and bring consumers fast, convenient, and emission-free deliveries.”
What’s more, the mobility firm claims the partnership with Cartken represents an expansion of its automated and autonomous technology ambitions, which it hopes will serve its consumers and merchant partners in Miami and beyond.
