Domino's Delivers Pizzas Autonomously in Houston
Domino’s has launched autonomous pizza delivery in Houston, Texas this week. Customers can choose to have their meal delivered by Nuro’s R2 robot. Nuro has the first completely autonomous on-road delivery vehicle approved by the U.S. Department of Transportation.
The Domino’s and Nuro combo is a single store offer for customers who choose limited R2 delivery. If selected, you receive text alerts updating R2’s location, and a PIN to claim your order. There’s GPS vehicle order tracking. The PIN is entered on the touch screen when R2 arrives. Boxes of hot food are revealed when the doors open.
Dennis Maloney, Domino’s SVP and chief innovation officer said, “We’re excited to continue innovating the delivery experience by testing Nuro autonomous delivery. There’s so much for our brand to learn about the autonomous delivery space. This program will allow us to better understand how customers respond to the deliveries, how they interact with the robot, and how it affects store operations. Demand for pizza creates the need for more deliveries. We look forward to seeing how autonomous delivery can work along with Domino’s existing delivery to support our customers’ needs.”
Nuro’s mantra is better everyday life through robotics. Autonomous vehicles can deliver. Nuro’s autonomous delivery touts a safe, convenient, eco-friendly, driving alternative. Nuro has provided autonomous delivery to local communities in Texas, Arizona, and California, on the premise of safer streets and more livable cities. Helm’s Bakery trucks in Los Angeles couldn’t survive robberies. Will they highjack a robot full of pizzas?
[Images: Domino’s]
With a father who owned a dealership, I literally grew up in the business. After college, I worked for GM, Nissan and Mazda, writing articles for automotive enthusiast magazines as a side gig. I discovered you could make a living selling ad space at Four Wheeler magazine, before I moved on to selling TV for the National Hot Rod Association. After that, I started Roadhouse, a marketing, advertising and PR firm dedicated to the automotive, outdoor/apparel, and entertainment industries. Through the years, I continued writing, shooting, and editing. It keep things interesting.
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In general I like this idea. But then I no longer have rotary-dial telephones in my home (it sounds like some of you must). This kind of thing will [eventually] do just fine in the neighborhoods which count. But a more near-term issue: "The PIN is entered on the touch screen when R2 arrives." So it's a mobile mini super spreader. Possibly Relevant Fact for April 2021: Did you know you can make your own pizza at home, and put whatever you want on it? No rules, no restrictions. Imagine that.
Houston makes sense. Nice wide streets, relatively flat land. Car centric neighborhood layouts. Looking forward to seeing something like this navigate around an older colonial era city, like Boston. Twisty hilly one ways everywhere. and that before you factor in the drivers and pedestrians.