A robot may one day be responsible for delivering your pizza. At least, if Domino’s in Australia gets its way.
The branch Down Under has starting testing a delivery system for pizzas using robots, according to a CNN report. The robot has been dubbed DRU, or Domino’s Robotic Unit, and it’s said to have finished its first delivery earlier in March.
The machine has four wheels and was unveiled at an event in Brisbane, Australia.
“We improvised, we explored, and we discovered that this audacious idea could actually become a reality,” the company said in a video promoting the robot.
Per CNN, it works like this:
The robot uses GPS for navigation and can sense and avoid obstacles as it travels. It is designed to travel on bike paths or footpaths and can reach speeds of 12 mph. It’s not clear how far the robot will travel to deliver a pizza.
The robot was developed by Marathon Targets, which is a robotics startup. “We are proud to also be part of this world-first innovation in pizza-delivery technology,” the company said in a statement.
Domino’s Australia is separate from the U.S. arm, but pays for the rights to use the fast food chain’s name, as noted by CNN.
But it may be a while before the practice becomes widespread as it’s still in its initial phases of testing.
