Every day is a winding road for L.A.’s delivery robots

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Sunita is usually snotty. She can also be psycho.

Snack-E has gone on the offense against street vendors.

Rio is lazy, and Remi once barreled right through a police scene.

But whatever bad behavior these bots exhibit doesn’t come close to the cruelty inflicted on them by pranksters and thieves.

Tik Tok account @filmtherobotsLA has assembled a fascinating look at the lives of the delivery robots that swarm sidewalks all around L.A. and West Hollywood delivering our favorite to-go orders right to our doors. Each robot has a unique name and, apparently, a lot of unique personality as reflected in their driving habits. Most of them are manufactured by Serve Robotics, which used WeHo as its launchpad for the new technology when they debuted a couple of years ago. The delivery robots are now in service nationwide.

@filmtherobotsla Sunita the food delivery robot attacks biker’s foot. #robotics #ai #automation #deliverdriver #fooddelivery ♬ original sound – Film The Robots LA

In Southern California, they’ve been met with a mixture of bemusement, annoyance and scorn by the general public. In more extreme cases, they’ve been vandalized and robbed despite many built-in safeguards.

Serve’s robots operate with Level 4 autonomy and multiple sensor modalities, including active LiDAR and ultrasonic sensors as well as passive camera sensors. The company says its robots “mostly” navigate on their own, but they are also continuously supervised by remote pilots.

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The robots can carry up to 50 lbs for 25 miles on a single charge. Items in the cargo compartment are secured and can be unlocked with a phone app or passcode.

@filmtherobotsla Snack-E the food delivery robot is traumatized. First vid: evan_deadly_sins #hollywood #westhollywood #robotics #ai #fooddelivery ♬ original sound – Film The Robots LA

@filmtherobotsla Hollywood’s food delivery robots are under attack, and they’ve decided to fight back. Be careful out there. #robotics #ai #fightback #selfdefense ♬ HOTEL LOBBY (Unc & Phew) – Quavo & Takeoff

 

 

 

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Mischa
Mischa
8 months ago

I love these little robot delivery guys. And, the ones who the videos show interfering with them are exactly the ones who I’d rather were not in WeHo at all

Miele4ThePeople
Miele4ThePeople
8 months ago

And yet no comment that it’s the usual suspects responsible for the theft and vandalism (I know… we aren’t allowed to point that out!!!)


gdaddy
gdaddy
8 months ago

I don’t get the issue with them. At least they move out of the way unlike the scooters that just litter the sidewalk. Also keeps delivery vehicles from blocking the roads/polluting.

Manny
Manny
8 months ago
Reply to  gdaddy

A bicyclist doesn’t pollute or block roads. It also delivers to your front door quickly and efficiently. These robots are a dumb idea.

Nonsense
Nonsense
8 months ago

Complete and utter nonsense. Perfect for the unsophisticated & juvenile that proliferate in West Hollywood..

West
West
8 months ago

F#ck these dystopian bots and sell out f#ckers that approved them. Weho the testing ground for the most f#cked up sh|t. And get Marsha P Johnson’s name off this crap. Shame of Byers and Erickson for shilling this, so disrespectful to her legacy.

Last edited 8 months ago by West
Mikie
Mikie
8 months ago

They block sidewalks!
They can’t climb over curbs!
They don’t deliver in the rain!
They don’t climb stairs!
They don’t open doors!
They don’t take elevators!
If you want your delivery, you have to come out to the street and get it. This is very difficult for people living with disabilities and for seniors.
THEY SUCK! DUMP THEM!

greeneyedguy
greeneyedguy
8 months ago
Reply to  Mikie

No one is forcing seniors to use them though

Mikie
Mikie
8 months ago
Reply to  greeneyedguy

what if a senior or a person with a disability needs to have something delivered because they cannot get it themselves? do they have a choice between a person delivering it and a robot? if they don’t have the choice, then they are being forced to use them!

Last edited 8 months ago by Mikie
greeneyedguy
greeneyedguy
8 months ago
Reply to  Mikie

Yes they do have a choice.

Tobias
Tobias
8 months ago
Reply to  greeneyedguy

They might not be right now, but just like disappearing grocery store check outs, they will be if we allow these sidewalk nuisance/eyesores to proliferate. We need to decide if sidewalks are for pedestrians or a new space for corporate technology to takeover for business purposes. I think sidewalks, parks, and libraries should remain public not corporate dominated spaces.

Tom
Tom
8 months ago
Reply to  Mikie

If I have to go out to the street to get it why am I not just going out to get it?

Manny
Manny
8 months ago

No Thanks Bad Robot……..I want my burrito delivered lickity split to my front door by a guy on a self powered bicycle.

Indeed
Indeed
8 months ago

They are a stupid idea–just like the scooters.

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