LA-based startup Robomart has unveiled a new self-driving robot that is set to compete against the big names in the delivery market.
According to its co-founder and CEO, the company is focusing on lowering costs and improving efficiency, in order to make its very unique product more attractive to consumers.
The technology behind autonomous deliveries and self-driving vehicles is developing rapidly, and if any of them can promise fewer fees without compromising high-quality service, then they could very soon become a popular delivery method.
Robomart Unveils New On-Demand Delivery Model
Robomart, a Los Angeles-based startup, has unveiled its latest self-driving robot that aims to challenge the on-demand delivery market.
The company recently announced the Robomart RM5, a level-four autonomous vehicle. It is made of 10 individual lockers to hold customer orders and can carry up to 500 pounds of weight. The RM5 is also designed for batch ordering, so the robot can work on multiple orders at once.
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Robomart is planning to start onboarding retailers in Austin over the next few months, where its first deliveries are expected to be made. Robomart released its delivering service earlier this year.
New Model Set To Challenge Established Delivery Platforms
Robomart is actively looking to challenge current leaders in the delivery market. According to CEO and co-founder Ali Ahmed, the main selling point for consumers will be the single, flat fee of $3 per delivery, which differs from other providers in the space, who often charge multiple fees per order.
Ahmed told TechCrunch that Robomart’s robots bring down the cost of delivery by up to 70%, a “critical difference” compared to competitors. Likewise, customers won’t have to worry about driver tips or fees, because the robots drive themselves.
Robomart first starting trialing an autonomous “store on wheels” back in 2020, bringing goods such as pharmacy items and ice cream to customers who requested it.
Autonomous Deliveries Could Be More Attractive to Consumers
Delivery giants such as UberEats, GrubHub, and DoorDash are guilty of charging a bit more in terms of fees, compared to what Robomart are promising customers. Undoubtedly, then, a single fee coupled with no driver tips or hidden costs, will certainly be of interest to customers.
Based on the information Ahmed has given, Robomart’s deliveries could be fast, too. The RM5 is designed to travel up to 25 miles per hour, and can do so on public roads, unlike other similar systems that use bike lanes or sidewalks and are much slower.
Ahmed believes these qualities make the product quite unique in the delivery space, “an autonomous marketplace for on-demand delivery using self-driving robots.”
Therefore, it’s not just self-driving cars that could become a highly attractive option for a lot of consumers and retailers. The delivery space could be just as lucrative, and with how fast the technology seems to be advancing, it may not even be long before it’s commonplace to get your McDonald’s via robot.
