If you live or work in downtown Jersey City, your next Uber Eats order may arrive courtesy of a sidewalk robot.

As part of a multiyear partnership between the rideshare giant and autonomous vehicle startup Avride, the city will become the first East Coast location to test out robot food delivery. The program began last fall in Austin and then expanded to Dallas before coming to Jersey City.

Starting this week, Uber Eats customers in Jersey City can opt for a robot to deliver their meals. Before confirming an order, customers will have the option to decline the delivery robot and choose a traditional courier, if they want.

At the initial launch, the service will be available from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. throughout downtown from the following restaurants:

• Jiangnan
• Rumi Turkish Grill
• Downtown Yogurt Jersey City
• Gulp
• Amiya
• Short Grain

According to Uber Eats, the program’s local operating territory and restaurant lineup will expand soon.

Customers can use the Uber Eats app to track the robot’s location in real time and receive notification when it arrives. Once customers are with the robot, they can tap “unlock” in the app to open the hatch and grab their order. According to Uber Eats, the robot will wait for up to 10 minutes at the delivery location to ensure there’s plenty of time for customers to collect their food.

Just like all Uber Eats deliveries, customers will be able to rate their experience. Any tips added will not be charged.

Domo arigato

Using advanced software and cameras, these robots navigate city streets, crosswalks and avoid obstacles. According to Avride, the robot has a range of 31 miles on one charge. The technology can travel up to five miles per hour and is tested to operate in inclement weather.

It is similar to the size of a large suitcase. The robot has six wheels and can carry up to 44 pounds of cargo in a specially designed hatch. Avride said they also keep privacy intact. According to the company, the robot’s cameras blur faces and license plates to ensure discretion.

See the robot in action (no sound):

Noah Zych, Uber’s global head of autonomous mobility & delivery operations, commented on the East Coast launch. “Uber Eats is excited to expand its partnership with Avride, which will bring autonomous robots to the heart of Jersey City, offering customers a new, effortless way to get their favorites delivered,” Zych said. “We look forward to continuing to integrate cutting-edge technology into the Uber Eats experience while working closely with the greater Jersey City community.”

Embracing new technology

Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop has also expressed enthusiasm over bringing the technology to his city.

When Avride began using the robots to map delivery zones in Jersey City last summer, Fulop gave some background on their presence.

In a social media post, he wrote, “We are in the loop on this project and currently exploring how best to responsibly utilize them. NYC has banned them but on the JC side we are not sure that banning is the best approach + we are now exploring options on regulations/parameters. Our administration has always explored and embraced new technology and i think it is something we have done well as a team.”

“These delivery robots will be partnering with food delivery services soon and are currently intended to be used for delivery of food and small batch groceries, etc. They are safe, secure and heavy but of course it is new technology so there will be issues that we are monitoring,” he said.

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