Serve Robotics should pause operations in Glendale. | Photograph courtesy of Serve Robotics
Meals supply robots have grow to be a typical sight on the sidewalks of Glendale, California, carting meals from downtown eating places to residential areas.
Now metropolis officers are calling for the robots to energy down till they will be taught extra about who is working them and the way they’re impacting residents and eating places.
In a 3-2 vote Tuesday, the Glendale Metropolis Council permitted a moratorium on supply bots following a debate that lined each the pitfalls and advantages of automated supply.
Town turned one of some areas pumping the brakes on supply robots, which have been spreading in massive cities and on faculty campuses in recent times as client demand for supply has soared.
Final month, a bit of Chicago blocked supply robots from increasing after widespread opposition from residents. And in Washington, D.C, transportation officers pushed again on efforts to fast-track delivery-bot rules final fall.
In Glendale, some councilmembers stated they don’t even know the place the robots got here from, what number of there are or who is working them. They’re involved that the bots will impede sidewalks and roadways and doubtlessly trigger accidents.
One member famous that he’d not too long ago seen a robotic with a lacking wheel blocking an ADA-accessible ramp.
“It’s like one thing out of a Nineteen Fifties sci-fi film,” stated Councilmember Ardy Kassakhian throughout the assembly Tuesday, in line with a recording on YouTube. “These robots simply appeared on our streets and took over sidewalks.”
He additionally questioned how they could have an effect on the livelihoods of human supply staff.
Glendale at the moment has no ordinance or security requirements pertaining to supply robots, however there’s additionally nothing within the regulation that prohibits them from working, officers stated.
And never everybody on the council was towards the bots. A number of members pointed to potential advantages, corresponding to much less street congestion and decrease supply prices. In addition they famous that there may very well be a possibility for town to generate income from the bots by way of licensing.
“I believe a moratorium is a knee-jerk response,” stated Mayor Ara Najarian, noting that eating places have stated they just like the bots.
“Possibly do some research on it and see what’s really occurring, however come on guys, this isn’t just like the satan on wheels right here destroying our metropolis.”
It was not clear what number of robotic supply providers are working in Glendale, a metropolis inside Los Angeles County. However considered one of them is Serve Robotics, a Bay Space-based firm that operates tons of of bots throughout a number of U.S. cities.
Serve is built-in with Uber Eats and DoorDash for deliveries. It launched in Glendale in January 2025.
“We’re disillusioned by Glendale’s resolution to pause operations, however we perceive the necessity to put clear guidelines in place,” the corporate stated in a press release. “Serve has accomplished tons of of 1000’s of deliveries in cities throughout the U.S., and we’re trying ahead to bringing that have again to Glendale below a framework that works for everybody. Within the meantime, we’re reallocating robots to fulfill buyer demand in close by areas in Los Angeles.”
The halt in Glendale foreshadows a number of the obstacles forward for robotic supply corporations as they look to scale throughout the nation. They might face stricter rules and the notion that they’re a nuisance.
Movies of robots getting caught or tipped over are widespread on social media, for example. In current weeks, two totally different supply robots had been recorded shattering the glass at bus shelters in Chicago.
However they’ve additionally gained folks over. Supply bots have confirmed standard on faculty campuses, and considered one of Serve’s robots has a recurring function on the Netflix present “All people’s Stay with John Mulaney.” They’ve a novelty issue, and, as Glendale’s mayor noticed, they’re cute.
“The place are the Star Wars followers on the market?” Najarian stated in protection of the bots. “That is R2-D2 in our day.”
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