Roaming fleets of delivery robots have been expanding throughout the D.C. area in recent months, including in Arlington.
In the three months since the company Avride began having robots carry Uber Eats orders in Arlington, the company says it has added more bots in response to market demand.
The company declined to disclose how many robots are now operating or how many deliveries they have completed, however. The number in active service can fluctuate, and Avride does not typically provide real-time fleet counts for individual markets, spokesperson Laura Lawton told ARLnow.
“We don’t disclose the number of deliveries,” Lawton said.
However, she said that Avride has been encouraged by the service’s growth in what remains a relatively new market. The company has been continually reviewing its routes and making changes based on sidewalk conditions, construction, pedestrian traffic and restaurant demand, Lawton said.
Lawton added that restaurant availability can change depending on location, operating hours and other factors. She directed customers to the Uber Eats app for current options.
Delivery robots aren’t unique to Arlington, and they’ve become a more common sight around the D.C. area in recent months.
In D.C. this summer, two competing companies — Coco Robotics and Serve Robotics — launched delivery services. Serve Robotics also began delivering orders in Alexandria in December, and has expanded its service since then.
In Arlington, robot deliveries officially launched June 17 in the Rosslyn-Ballston corridor, initially operating from 10 a.m.-10 p.m. through participating Uber Eats restaurants such as TNR Cafe in Courthouse and Bakeshop in Clarendon.
The robots travel at up to 5 mph and navigate using cameras and lidar. They can operate within roughly a 1 to 2 mile radius and are designed to slow down, back up or reroute when sidewalks become crowded or narrow.
Early reaction in Arlington included curiosity as well as complaints about sidewalk access. Some residents stopped to photograph the robots, while others raised concerns online about the devices obstructing pedestrian routes or creating another sidewalk obstacle.
Delivery robots elsewhere in the region have drawn similarly mixed reactions.
For now, Avride’s near-term focus remains the Rosslyn-Ballston corridor. Lawton said the company plans to increase the fleet as demand grows and is evaluating expansion beyond its current operating area, but has no additional neighborhoods or timetable to announce.
