Just Eat UK has today launched a new trial in ground robotics. Deliveries will be made by Delivers.AI in Bristol and RIVR robots in Milton Keynes as part of the small scale trial with ten independent restaurant brands . Kitted out in iconic Just Eat orange, the robots will begin deliveries from local high street restaurants to customers ahead of the busy Valentine’s Day weekend.
The robots have arrived just in time to support local restaurants with an uptick in demand, with Valentine’s Day historically being a popular time for customers to favour local high street outlets. The trial is particularly fitting in Bristol, with the South West region seeing the biggest uptick in orders on Valentine’s Day last year. Meanwhile, restaurants that deliver breakfasts and desserts may also receive extra love, with orders rising by 10% and 14% respectively last Valentine’s Day.
The robotics trial follows the initial ground robotics pilot in Switzerland where nearly 1,000 deliveries have been completed. As well as ground robotics, Just Eat continues to trial drone delivery in Ireland. Autonomous deliveries (ground and drone) have a number of advantages for brands to explore, including reaching remote areas and improving delivery service during busy times.
This latest tech innovation from Just Eat follows the recent announcement the brand has launched a first-of-its-kind Voice AI assistant in the UK.
Mert Öztekin, Chief Technology Officer at Just Eat said: “We’re always innovating to improve the delivery experience for our customers. To trial ground robotics we’ve teamed up with two expert organisations to ensure that we’re learning and working with the very best.
For those in Bristol and Milton Keynes who love tech – what better way to celebrate Valentine’s Day than a robot delivery from your favourite local.”
Oral Yigitkus, CTO & founder at Delivers.AI, said: “We’re excited to be partnering with Just Eat Takeaway in Bristol and to support local independent restaurants with our technology. This partnership is an important step in demonstrating how Delivers.AI’s ground robotics technology can complement existing delivery networks, helping to improve reliability, urban logistics, and the overall customer experience while supporting local high streets.”
Marko Bjelonic, CEO of RIVR, said: “Expanding our partnership with Just Eat Takeaway.com is an important step in scaling autonomous delivery across European cities. By automating delivery right to the customer’s doorstep, our technology removes friction and creates a more seamless experience for consumers. The launch in Milton Keynes reflects a shared focus on practical, automated delivery that integrates seamlessly into existing operations”.
Just Eat will continue to launch new innovative ways to deliver with a further partner expected to onboard in the coming weeks.
