Uber Eats’ little green robots begin delivering food in Tokyo

Where to find them: The new robot delivery service is only available in a small area in Tokyo’s Nihombashi and only operates from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays. Only two stores, Tonkatsu Aoki and Benihana Annex, have participated in the new service so far. Uber Eats Japan plans to roll out the new service in other areas in the future.

Unveiling the service: Announced in a press release on Feb. 21, the Uber Eats robot was designed by U.S.-based company CartKen, one of Uber Eats Japan’s two partners, alongside Mitsubishi Electronics, which adapted it for use in Japan. The six-wheeled, box-shaped green robot measures 71 centimeters long (29.5 inches), 46 centimeters wide (18.1 inches) and 60 centimeters high (23.6 inches). It also has a thermal insulated compartment with a maximum capacity of 27 liters and 20 kilograms (44 pounds) to keep the food warm.

How it works: After placing an order, the Uber Eats robot delivery service picks up the order from the store and then delivers it to the customer at their specified location. Once it arrives, the customer can then open the top lid using a key in the Uber Eats app.

Utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) technology, the Uber Eats robot delivery service comes equipped with cameras to aid its autonomous driving function and to avoid colliding with pedestrians. The robot also has a vicinity sensor that reportedly warns nearby pedestrians to watch out for it as it drives by. According to the press release, the companies reassured the public that the robot’s camera system is designed to protect the privacy of passersby.

The road ahead: In the press release, Uber Eats Japan CEO Shintaro Nakagawa said his company believes that the robot delivery system will continue to “grow in importance” as they look forward to providing their customers and partner stores with “enjoyable surprises and high reliability.”

Meanwhile, Shoji Tanaka, the head of Mitsubishi Electrics’ innovation center, said the electronics company will continue to develop the autonomous robots so that they can eventually deliver goods inside buildings.