The U.S. capital is home to six-wheeled robots that roll along sidewalks to deliver food. In partnership with Starship Technologies and delivery service Postmates, robots arrive at doorsteps with ordered meals. A message is sent to the customer to come outside and retrieve their food from the robot's cargo bin.
Although the goal is for the robots to be fully autonomous, they're currently controlled by humans who monitor them nearby. This helps keep the robot out of harm's way, such as crashing into things such as pedestrians, signs or vehicles. Plus, staffers can answers questions from curious pedestrians.
The trial is still in its early stages, but there are plans for an eventual expansion.
