Food delivery robots are now ubiquitous in parts of Chicago, cruising down crowded sidewalks and scooching themselves through crosswalks. But sometimes the robots get themselves into pickles.
The robots are on trial as the companies operate under a pilot program that expires in May 2027. Chicago’s City Council would need to take action to allow the robots to stay in Chicago after next spring.
The sidewalk bots, operated by Serve and Coco Robotics, have tumbled down subway stairs, crashed through bus shelters and even, in one case, learned to say “sorry.”
