By AYUMI SUGIYAMA/ Staff Writer
March 6, 2024 at 17:36 JST
A self-driving delivery robot rolls along in the rain in Tokyo’s Chuo Ward on March 5. (Ayumi Sugiyama)
Little green robots could be spotted trundling down the streets of Tokyo’s Nihonbashi district on March 6, their first day at work delivering meals for Uber Eats Japan Inc.
The company plans to expand the use of these self-driving robots to more areas facing delivery staff shortages.
“We expect this robot could be one solution to complement human delivery,” a company official said, touching on the so-called “2024 problem,” which anticipates labor shortages in the logistics industry.
Japan is the second country in which Uber Eats has rolled out the robot delivery service, following the United States.
The official said the service was brought to Japan because the country’s well-developed infrastructure makes robot operation possible, and the demand is expected to be high.
The delivery robot, developed by the U.S. company Cartken and modified by Mitsubishi Electric Corp., has a carrying capacity of 27 liters.
Utilizing artificial intelligence to detect obstacles, the robot moves autonomously on sidewalks at a maximum speed of 5.4 kph. It is also equipped with a remote control function.
According to the Road Traffic Law, delivery robots are permitted on sidewalks and public streets after passing safety standards set by the Robot Delivery Association and filing a report to prefectural governments.
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