Food delivery robots will be taking to the streets of Cambridge tomorrow as part of a new scheme by Cambridgeshire County Council, Starship Technologies, and Co-op.
Following a pilot in nearby Cambourne earlier this year, the decision was made by the Highways and Transport Committee to welcome the robots to Cambridge, with a grocery delivery service available to 12,200 residents within the Cherry Hinton and Queen Edith areas of Cambridge.
Orders are made through the Starship app, with groceries picked in local Co-op stores on Perne Road and Cherry Hinton Road.
Residents can order their delivery to arrive in under an hour and watch the robot travel in real-time via an interactive map. Once the robot arrives, residents receive an alert and can meet and unlock it through the app.
Chris Conway, E-commerce Director, Co-op, says: “Co-op is committed to exploring new and innovative ways to increase access to its products and services. Our members and customers lead busy lives and so ease, speed and convenience is a cornerstone of our approach.”
“Our stores are well placed in local communities to provide quick and easy home deliveries – whether a full shop or last minute top-ups.”
“We are pleased that the trial has expanded into Cambridge and, has been seen to contribute to the reduction in unnecessary car journeys while providing flexible options online for shoppers in our communities.”
Andrew Curtis, UK Operations Manager at Starship Technologies, adds: “We are delighted to be expanding our on-demand, quick and sustainable grocery delivery service to an additional 12,200 residents in Cambridge.”
“Our friendly robots have been very well received, and as a result are actively reducing traffic congestion and carbon emissions in the areas they operate in.”
“We are very much looking forward to working closely with Cambridgeshire County Council and Co-op, and hope to further expand our service over the coming years.”
Starship, which was created by the co-founders of Skype in 2014, currently operates a fully commercial service in five countries around the world and partners with Co-op in several towns and cities in the UK.
