Downtown Dallas is witnessing a significant shift in the way meals are delivered with the launch of autonomous vehicle delivery on Tuesday. This innovative service brings a fresh perspective to the local food delivery scene, offering a convenient and efficient option for both downtown dwellers and workers.

Revolutionize Your Downtown Dining with Autonomous Vehicle Delivery

Avride's Robotic Delivery Machines

Avride has deployed five of its robotic delivery machines to transport lunch orders from two downtown restaurants. These machines, pronounced “A-V ride” for autonomous vehicle, are the key to this new delivery system. They are designed to handle hyperlocal delivery with precision and care.The robots scoot along at under ten miles an hour, equipped with 360-degree radius cameras that can detect people and other potential obstacles. This advanced technology allows them to navigate sidewalks, cross streets, and even understand traffic lights seamlessly. LIDAR, light detection and ranging, using lasers to measure distance and map a designated area, further enhances their capabilities. It has become the industry standard for autonomous vehicles, ensuring safe and efficient deliveries.

Partnership with Uber

Yulia Shevyko with Avride emphasizes the company's partnership with Uber on autonomous vehicle endeavors. This collaboration allows users to have one of the company's robots deliver food through the UberEats app. It combines the convenience of Uber's delivery platform with the innovative technology of Avride's robots, creating a unique dining experience.The robots operate in a pedestrian-savvy manner, ensuring the safety of both pedestrians and the delivery vehicles. This partnership opens up new possibilities for the future of food delivery in downtown Dallas.

Initial Deliveries and Public Reaction

NBC 5 witnessed Avride make some of its first Dallas deliveries on Tuesday near Akard and Main as the service went live. Bundled-up pedestrians, many with their own lunch in hand, stopped to snap photos of the robot traversing an intersection. Hamza Jahangir, who works nearby, was particularly impressed. He said, "I just saw it from far away, like a block down and I was like 'This is actually amazing.'"However, not everyone was as excited. Some gave the device little more than a glance as they walked. This shows the initial mixed reaction to this new form of delivery.

Regulations and Future Plans

Texas approved autonomous delivery vehicles with statewide regulations in 2019. While cities can't prohibit the devices, they do have the flexibility to set their own regulations, such as lowering the speed limit of robots. State law allows robots up to 10 miles per hour in pedestrian areas and up to 20 miles per hour along the sides of roads and highway shoulders.Currently, Dallas doesn't have any specific regulations for these autonomous delivery vehicles. Shevyko emphasizes the importance of safety for companies operating in the autonomous vehicle space. Without it, the long-term viability of this emerging business sector is limited.Avride plans to continue mapping more of the downtown corridor in the coming weeks to allow for the deployment of additional food delivery robots. There are also plans to expand to neighborhoods outside of downtown possible in 2025, bringing this innovative service to a wider audience.