Yango Group, a global tech company, has launched a pilot program for autonomous robot-powered food delivery at Expo City Dubai. This service aims to enhance convenience for employees, residents, and visitors, contributing to Dubai’s vision of a smart city.

During the four-month pilot program, autonomous robots will deliver meals from select cafés and restaurants to Expo City’s main office located in Al Wasl Plaza. These robots are designed to independently plan their routes, navigate urban environments with precision, and yield to pedestrians, utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) to maneuver around obstacles.

Nikita Gavrilov, Regional Head of Yango Tech Autonomy, expressed enthusiasm about the collaboration with Expo City Dubai, noting that its defined zones provide an ideal setting to safely test autonomous technologies. He added that the robots incorporate advanced AI and sustainable delivery practices to improve daily life in smart communities.

The robots utilize high-definition maps and a range of sensors to plan their routes in real time, effectively avoiding pedestrians, vehicles, and static obstacles, even in challenging conditions such as low light or bad weather. Powered by electricity, they emit zero emissions and operate much more quietly than traditional delivery vehicles.

Dr. Amy Hochadel, Vice President of Urban Lab at Expo City Dubai, emphasized that Expo City serves as a testing ground for innovative technologies. She stated that its Urban Lab offers a space to pilot and scale solutions essential for future human-centric cities. According to her, testing Yango Group’s autonomous delivery robots is just one example of how their Urban Lab is establishing standards for future cities.

This pilot program currently allows food deliveries exclusively to the Al Wasl 3 office building. Users can place orders via the Expo City Eats app, which facilitates food delivery services across the area, with Yango Group’s robots delivering from four designated restaurants.

If the pilot proves successful, the service is expected to expand, enabling deliveries from more restaurants within Expo City to all residents and commercial tenants in a comprehensive rollout.