Serve Robotics begins autonomous commercial deliveries

Serve Robotics announced that it has deployed its fleet of sidewalk delivery robots for commercial deliveries.

This achievement comes just a few months after the company announced its partnership with Uber Eats. At the time, the companies planned to roll out robotic delivery services exclusively to Uber Eats customers in Los Angeles early this year.

“I’m proud that Serve Robotics has achieved Level 4 autonomy, which further enhances public safety by significantly reducing the potential for human error. This milestone begins to unlock the full potential of robotic delivery,” Serve Robotics co-founder and CEO Dr. Ali Kashani said. “This technical and commercial milestone is an achievement for the entire AV industry, and accelerates our mission to make delivery more accessible and sustainable.”

Serve’s delivery robots navigate the sidewalks of LA with Level 4 autonomy and multiple sensor modalities. The sensors include active LiDAR and ultrasonic sensors as well as passive camera sensors.

The robots are completely autonomous, according to the company. They don’t require any form of human assist to complete deliveries.

The robots can carry up to 50 lbs (18.7 kg) for 25 miles (40.2 km) on a single charge. Items in the cargo compartment are secured and can be unlocked with a phone app or passcode.

Serve has partnerships with other technology companies, like NVIDIA and Ouster. Serve’s robots use the NVIDIA Jetson platform and Ouster’s LiDAR sensors.

The company began in 2017 as the robotics division at Postmates, a subsidiary of Uber. It became an independent company in February 2021, with a mission to make delivery more affordable, sustainable and accessible. In November, it announced its deal with Uber.

In December, the company announced that it raised $13 million in expanded seed funding. The funding came from a range of investors, including Uber Technologies, Wavemaker Labs, DX Ventures and 7-Eleven’s corporate venture arm 7-Ventures.