Starship Technologies’ delivery robots are largely autonomous, although they have human operators to intervene if necessary. A proposed city ordinance would limit any delivery robots to sidewalks on UW-Madison’s campus.
A new Madison ordinance that would prohibit the use of delivery robots everywhere in the city except for UW-Madison’s campus was recommended by a city board Monday.
The Transportation Policy and Planning Board unanimously recommended the new city law. If approved by the City Council, the ordinance would continue to allow the food delivery robots that UW Housing deployed in November to take dining hall food to students on campus.
Assistant city attorney Amber McReynolds said the purpose of the proposed ordinance is to prevent other companies from bringing new robots to Madison and clogging up city sidewalks. Right now, state laws allow delivery robots in any city on sidewalks but not streets, unless that municipality prohibits it.
McReynolds said UW-Madison has been a “responsible and respectful” user of delivery robots. They’ve been operating under an informal agreement that limits them to certain sidewalks and crosswalks.
The robots that UW Housing is using were developed by the San Francisco-based company Starship Technologies. The robots are fully autonomous, but can be taken over remotely by a human at any time. The fleet of around 30 robots have been traveling from UW dining halls to the dorms to fulfill orders that students make via an app on their phones.
“This is helping us deliver our food to our students,” said director of UW Housing Jeff Novak, who spoke in support of the potential ordinance.