Expo City Dubai has launched a pilot program for a robot food delivery service in collaboration with the global tech company Yango Group. This futuristic service will be available for the next four months, allowing robots to independently plan their routes, navigate around obstacles, and yield to pedestrians.

The robot delivery service will transport meals from select cafés and restaurants to Expo City’s main office located in Al Wasl Plaza. These autonomous robots are designed to integrate seamlessly into smart city environments, utilizing artificial intelligence to navigate urban areas effectively.

Equipped with high-definition maps and an array of sensors, the delivery robots will plan their routes in real-time, avoiding pedestrians, vehicles, and static obstacles, even in low-light conditions or adverse weather. This service will operate on electricity, producing zero emissions and functioning more quietly than traditional delivery vehicles.

Currently, the pilot program is limited to deliveries for the Al Wasl 3 office building. Users can place orders through the Expo City Eats app, which facilitates food delivery services across Dubai, and Yango Group’s robots will deliver meals from four restaurants to a designated point in the office.

If the trial proves successful, there are plans for the service to expand, providing deliveries from more restaurants within Expo City to all residents and commercial tenants.

Nikita Gavrilov, regional head of Yango Tech Autonomy, noted that Expo City is an ideal location for testing this high-tech service. She expressed excitement about the collaboration, emphasizing that Expo City’s clearly defined zones create a controlled environment for safely and efficiently testing autonomous technologies.

Dr. Amy Hochadel, vice president of Urban Lab at Expo City Dubai, highlighted that the initiative sets a standard for future cities. She stated that Expo City serves as a testbed for significant technological breakthroughs and that Urban Lab is dedicated to rigorously testing solutions that promote impactful and sustainable technologies.