In a significant growth move, Coco Robotics, a startup that originated from the UCLA campus, plans to increase its delivery bot fleet from around 1,000 to 10,000 in the coming year, deploying hundreds of enhanced delivery robots equipped with AI similar to that of ChatGPT.
The rollout of these robots has been mostly concentrated in urban areas like Silver Lake, where residents have expressed a mix of amusement and frustration with the new technology.
Coco’s delivery bots first appeared in Silver Lake this spring, with around ten machines facilitating food deliveries from local restaurants. The charming and round machines not only enhance convenience but also aim to reduce city congestion by providing a means to deliver food without requiring additional parking spaces.
Zach Rash, co-founder of Coco Robotics, explained their focus on selecting neighborhoods based on density and the proximity of restaurants, combined with challenges such as difficult parking.
However, as seen during their early deployment, the bots sometimes struggle with navigation. One bot’s adventure turned comical when it attempted to take a steep hill route, only to become stuck trying to climb some stairs, leading to a canceled delivery for a hungry customer.
Residents have shared their experiences online, illustrating the ups and downs of this new delivery service. One former resident humorously recounted a mishap where a bot’s five-minute delivery spiraled into a series of errors.
Despite the glitches and the occasional stumbles, some locals are finding joy in the robots’ presence. Benjamin Attwell, a worker at MidEast Tacos, noted the charm of the bots, even sharing TikTok videos of their antics, coining them almost as pets that add a futuristic feel to the neighborhood.
“They stop for pedestrians and dodge obstacles,” he shared, finding them endearing.
Businesses in the area have also reported positive impacts from using Coco’s delivery service. Kreation Organic, a health-focused cafe, has observed increased sales since partnering with the robots, noting that they attract families eager to try out the novelty of the delivery experience.
Senior operations manager Jefferson Noe Ortiz remarked that the robots have proven more dependable than some human delivery drivers, highlighting the convenience they offer without communication barriers.
However, not everything is seamless. Some neighborhood workers have witnessed the robots glitching at intersections and causing minor disruptions. One worker expressed surprise, saying, “The future is a lot dumber than I thought it would be.”
Additionally, the emergence of these delivery bots has stirred concern among gig economy workers about the competition they face. Food delivery driver Julia Roggiero, working primarily in West Hollywood and Silver Lake, has noticed a drop in her delivery requests since the robots began operating.
“I used to get five or six delivery requests an hour,” she explained, noting that the shift has affected her earnings, pushing her to diversify her work into ridesharing.
Coco’s Rash maintained that the robots are designed to complement, rather than replace, human drivers, emphasizing the vast demand in the delivery market.
“Right now, we have way more demand than we can handle,” he stated, reassuring worried drivers that there is enough work to go around and that longer deliveries would still rely on human drivers.
Coco currently operates a fleet of over 1,000 delivery bots across various neighborhoods such as Santa Monica, Venice, and Koreatown, emphasizing their goal of sustainable, efficient urban deliveries.
Rash affirmed, “We are the cheapest way to deliver anything in a city today, and we can do that profitably.”
The company generates revenue through collaborations with delivery platforms like Uber Eats, collecting payments from merchants for the service, and leasing parts of the fleet for promotional engagements.
Despite the potential benefits brought by Coco’s robots, there remains an undercurrent of concern among workers who fear for their job security. Eric Ernst, an Instacart delivery driver, expressed his reservations about the robots, emphasizing the impact on human jobs.
“It’s neat, you know, it’s cool. This is like ‘The Jetsons,’” he said, depicting a blend of wonder and caution regarding the future of delivery services.
As Coco Robotics gears up for an expansion, it is clear that while some residents and businesses are embracing their delivery robots, others feel threatened by the implications for the gig economy and the unique experience that human delivery drivers provide.
In a city transitioning to robotic deliveries, the future remains a mix of excitement and uncertainty.
image source from：latimes
