The intention to use unusual unmanned vehicles as couriers was announced by Domino's Pizza.
Once we already wrote about the cooperation of the grocery Giant Kroger and food delivery startup Nuro. Recently, Nuro introduced an updated model of an unmanned vehicle, dubbed the R2. It is he who will be used in an experiment launched by a chain of pizzerias. Domino's says it's interested in trying out these vehicles, whose sole purpose is to deliver food and household chemicals.
This is not Domino's first experiment with self-driving vehicles. Previously, the company has already conducted three rounds of joint testing of deliveries with automaker Ford - in the city of Ann Arbor, Michigan, which has a population of approximately 115,000 people. This locality was chosen for the reason that it is in it that the headquarters of the network is located. The new experiment, involving Nuro cars, has nothing to do with the previous one.
According to Domino's, customers have responded favorably to the idea of robotic delivery. Moreover, some of them said that they like this option even more than when the delivery is carried out by a person. It is not reported, however, what percentage of customers it was.
In a new experiment, customers who order pizza online will be able to choose Nuro's offline delivery. By specifying this option, they will be able to track the delivery through the Domino's application. A unique code will also come there, which is necessary in order to open an unmanned vehicle delivery department and receive your order. At the same time, Domino's engineers are striving to simplify the service and make it as convenient as possible for customers.
Domino's is focusing more on delivery due to increased competition from companies like UberEats and Doordash. According to representatives of the pizza chain, they are actively preparing for the time when unmanned vehicles will be universally legalized and become commonplace. They are confident that the restaurant industry will be the first to appreciate the full benefits of these technologies.