Just Eat and Starship Technologies have partnered to launch delivery robots to Barnsley, named government’s first ‘tech town’, from today.
The pilot scheme in North East Barnsley will put small orange self-driving delivery robots on local streets to deliver meals from restaurants to customers’ doors. The service starts in Carlton, Athersley, Monk Bretton and Lundwood, serving 11,000 households.
The launch comes as Barnsley builds its reputation as a centre for innovation following its designation as the UK’s first government-backed ‘tech town.’ Autonomous delivery is expected to play a key role in demonstrating how emerging technologies can be integrated into everyday life.
“Our ground robotics trials are all about innovating to improve the customer experience,” says Mert Öztekin, chief technology officer at Just Eat. “We’ve teamed up with a diverse range of local independent restaurants to trial the Starship robots and we’ll be listening to their feedback closely, as well as that of our customers.”
As well as boosting productivity, robot delivery services are expected to reduce congestion and cut emissions by replacing short car journeys while improving access to food and essentials for residents, including those with limited mobility. In the UK alone, around 25% of Starship users have a disability or live with someone who does.
An economic impact assessment by Prysm Global found that scaling autonomous delivery across the UK could unlock £1.3bn in Gross Value Added (GVA) for the national economy by 2035.
“Barnsley is exactly the kind of community we built Starship for – where technology serves people ethically and respectfully,” says Ahti Heinla, founder and chief executive of Starship Technologies. “We’re confident locals will enjoy the quick convenience our robots bring, making life a little easier for people. They’re polite and friendly, and they can’t wait to make new friends.”
In February, Just Eat launched a trial in Bristol and Milton Keynes using ground robots to carry out deliveries.