Delivery robots are spreading fast — and so are their problems
Delivery robots now operate in over 80 cities worldwide, but sidewalk conflicts and weak regulation are becoming more common as the industry grows. Some cities are already restricting or banning them.
The delivery robot concept began in Estonia in 2014, when Skype co-founders Ahti Heinla and Janus Friis launched Starship Technologies. What started as a small project expanded rapidly during the pandemic, and Starship now operates in more than 80 cities across North America, Europe and Asia. Other companies have since entered the space, including Serve Robotics, Coco Robotics and Delivers.AI, while DoorDash has rolled out its own in-house robot fleet.
Sidewalk troubles
Most companies have shifted from remotely operated robots to autonomous ones relying on cameras, sensors and GPS. However, unpredictable conditions like broken sidewalks or sudden construction often confuse their navigation, causing stalls or property damage — including one case in Chicago where a robot destroyed a bus stop.
The effects on pedestrians are more concerning. Although robots are meant to yield to people, there have been multiple reports of pedestrians having to step aside for them instead. This is a particular issue for people with limited mobility or wheelchair users, since a robot blocking a sidewalk can raise accessibility concerns under the ADA. There have also been cases of physical harm — a man in New Jersey suffered a broken shoulder and a head injury after being hit by a delivery robot on his bike.
What comes next
Despite these issues, the industry is expected to keep growing significantly. Research firm Transforma Insights forecasts 559,000 automated urban delivery vehicles worldwide by 2035, up from 28,000 in 2025. This growth could affect gig work at companies like Uber Eats and DoorDash. Still, current robots' limited range — about two miles — keeps their use largely confined to urban areas for now.
Many of the problems trace back to a lack of regulation: personal delivery devices are legally classified as pedestrians in more than 20 US states. That is starting to shift, with cities such as Chicago, San Francisco and Toronto already imposing restrictions or outright bans. The robots' use of cameras has also drawn scrutiny from regulators over privacy concerns.
