Self-driving robots to deliver Uber Eats takeaways in the UK

Self-driving robots are set to begin delivering restaurant takeaways for Uber Eats in the UK.

The delivery firm has partnered with Estonian firm Starship Technologies to roll out the technology in Leeds from next month, before expanding to Sheffield.

The robots have a top speed of around 4 mph, about the same as a walking pedestrian, and will be able to complete deliveries in under 30 minutes over distances of up to two miles.

Their six-wheeled design allows them to mount and dismount curbs and deliver in even snowy weather conditions. Specially designed sensors help them avoid obstacles on their journeys.

Each robot can carry the equivalent of three bags of shopping and has an insulated interior to maintain hot, cold and frozen food at the required temperature.

They have been delivering shopping for Co-op customers in UK cities including Milton Keynes, Manchester and Leeds since 2018.

Their use has raised questions over whether robots could one day replace human delivery couriers over shorter distances. Sarfraz Maredia, global head of autonomous at Uber, said autonomous delivery was “an exciting part of how we see the future of Uber Eats”.

“Together with Starship, we’re bringing this future to life across multiple continents, leveraging Uber’s global scale and Starship’s proven autonomy to deliver efficient and affordable experiences for consumers and merchants everywhere,” he said.

Starship was founded in 2014 by Skype co-founders Ahti Heinla and Janus Friis. It claims to run the largest autonomous delivery network worldwide and its fleet of more than 2,700 robots has made over nine million deliveries in more than 15 countries.

Starship’s partnership with Uber Eats will begin in the UK before expanding to multiple European countries in 2026 and the US in 2027.

The tie-up comes after Starship raised $50m (£38.2m) in funding in October to expand its reach across US cities.