Uber Eats and Starship Technologies are expanding their robotic food delivery service after an initial launch in Leeds.
The companies’ robotic food couriers came to the UK via the West Yorkshire city in December last year.
Uber Eats and Starship said its initial rollout was successful and it will be bringing its autonomous couriers to Sheffield in an expansion of the programme.
The firms claim that robotic deliveries could form a major part of the industry in the coming years, citing data from Prysm Global’s recent economic impact assessment that claimed that expanded robot delivery services could unlock £1.3bn GVA for the economy.
“Starship robots have been a much-loved part of daily life for communities across the UK since 2018: picking up shopping, dropping off essentials, there when people need them. Cutting out the short car trips that add up, our robots have already saved over 500,000 kg of emissions across Europe,” said Ahti Heinla, chief executive of Starship.
“We’re proud to bring that everyday convenience to 50,000 people in Sheffield, making robot deliveries just another normal part of the day.”
To promote the Sheffield launch, Uber Eats and Starship have also launched a jingle competition, inviting composers to produce a short track that will be played by the robots as they deliver.
“We’ve already proven that robots are a key part of the future of efficient, high-tech delivery,” said Merve Basci, general manager of Uber Eats in the UK.
“Now, we want to see if they can hold a tune. This moment is about more than just innovation; it’s about bringing a bit of unexpected joy to our customers’ doorsteps. Whether it’s a power ballad or a catchy hit, we’re letting the nation compose the soundtrack to their next takeaway.”