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Domino's will begin delivering pizza using self-driving robots in the Houston area later this year, the company announced on Monday. The company will use delivery vehicles from the Silicon Valley startup Nuro.
"Nuro's vehicles are specially designed to optimize the food delivery experience, which makes them a valuable partner in our autonomous vehicle journey," said Kevin Vasconi of Domino's in a press release. "The opportunity to bring our customers the choice of an unmanned delivery experience, and our operators an additional delivery solution during a busy store rush, is an important part of our autonomous vehicle testing."
The deal is a coup for Nuro, which raised $940 million in February and is already delivering groceries for Kroger in the Houston area. Pizza delivery is one of the most common applications for last-mile deliveries, and Domino's is one of the biggest companies in the business, delivering about 3 million pizzas per day. That's a lot of potential business for Nuro if the Houston trial is successful.
"Select customers who order online from one of Domino's participating stores will have the opportunity to use Nuro's autonomous delivery," according to the press release. "Once they have opted in, customers can track the vehicle via the Domino's app and will be provided with a unique PIN code to unlock the compartment to get their pizza."
(Score: 2) by looorg on Tuesday June 18 2019, @01:06PM (6 children)
So how would you tip your robo-pizza-delivery-boy? It won't need money. Oil? Blast it with some compressed air?
(Score: 2) by Rupert Pupnick on Tuesday June 18 2019, @01:15PM
Sugar in the gas tank?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday June 18 2019, @01:57PM (2 children)
A quick charge? Maybe squeegeeing the cameras and LiDAR detectors?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday June 18 2019, @03:01PM (1 child)
WD-40?
(Score: 2) by pipedwho on Tuesday June 18 2019, @10:23PM
R2-D2?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday June 18 2019, @04:59PM
Watch them try to continue tipping just because it is so automatic some people will do it if given the opportunity.
(Score: 2) by All Your Lawn Are Belong To Us on Tuesday June 18 2019, @05:41PM
Simple. They will just up their delivery charge to you and you won't have to think about it at all. What help!
This sig for rent.
(Score: 2) by Rupert Pupnick on Tuesday June 18 2019, @01:18PM (4 children)
Houston drivers are going to love driving behind a vehicle whose top speed is 25 mph.
(Score: 2) by takyon on Tuesday June 18 2019, @01:56PM (2 children)
If they raised it to 35 and stay off certain roads, it might be OK.
If they made it less wide, maybe they could stick it in bike lanes. But other companies are using the sidewalks [scientificamerican.com].
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(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday June 18 2019, @06:42PM (1 child)
Ha ha you said bike lanes. What a joke!
(Score: 2) by takyon on Tuesday June 18 2019, @07:13PM
https://houston.bcycle.com/ [bcycle.com]
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(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday June 18 2019, @01:59PM
... while smelling Dominos pizza stewing in a hotbox.
(Score: 3, Funny) by SomeGuy on Tuesday June 18 2019, @01:29PM (3 children)
In totally unrelated news we swear, Domino's Pizza will start using robots to harvest roadkill for their pizzas.
(Score: 2) by DannyB on Tuesday June 18 2019, @01:44PM (1 child)
Dominos can partner with Tesla to create the roadkill to be harvested.
When trying to solve a problem don't ask who suffers from the problem, ask who profits from the problem.
(Score: 2) by Freeman on Tuesday June 18 2019, @07:18PM
The joys of pedestrian polo have been lost on generations of people.
Joshua 1:9 "Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee"
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday June 19 2019, @01:47AM
At 25 mph they will be roadkill.
(Score: 5, Funny) by The Mighty Buzzard on Tuesday June 18 2019, @01:41PM (4 children)
I've heard of some weird-ass toppings before but who the hell puts robots on a pizza?
My rights don't end where your fear begins.
(Score: 3, Funny) by looorg on Tuesday June 18 2019, @02:01PM
It's what make the crunchy thing in the crusts.
(Score: 2) by takyon on Tuesday June 18 2019, @02:07PM (2 children)
Humans are the traditional topping, but the industry is switching to robots.
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(Score: 1, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday June 18 2019, @04:11PM
"Soylent Pizza, news is people, and so is our topping."
(Score: 2) by looorg on Tuesday June 18 2019, @04:24PM
So Robots are stealing our (human) jobs again ... typical.
(Score: 2) by DannyB on Tuesday June 18 2019, @01:43PM (1 child)
I see this small mom and pop pizza shop in my town.
I think it is pronounced: doh-MEE-knows ?
This must be the Italian family name of these pizza makers.
When trying to solve a problem don't ask who suffers from the problem, ask who profits from the problem.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday June 18 2019, @06:45PM
I hear they have pedophiles there. Better go check it out?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday June 18 2019, @02:22PM
Wasn't that the state that delivered a grenade to a sniper by robot?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday June 18 2019, @02:40PM (1 child)
To eat the nasty agglomeration of ingredients that Dominos calls "pizza"
Just sayin'.
(Score: 1, Touché) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday June 18 2019, @06:48PM
Nonsense - that pizza was designed and redesigned by the greatest economists you can buy to insert the cheapest ingredients possible and still comply with the legal definition of pizza. I can't believe it's not pizza.
(Score: 4, Insightful) by Thexalon on Tuesday June 18 2019, @02:57PM (2 children)
The potential for robots to be stolen or vandalized suggests the costs to this program are higher than they anticipate.
The only thing that stops a bad guy with a compiler is a good guy with a compiler.
(Score: 2) by DannyB on Tuesday June 18 2019, @03:56PM
An army of robots will turn the perpetrator into new pizza toppings.
When trying to solve a problem don't ask who suffers from the problem, ask who profits from the problem.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday June 18 2019, @06:50PM
> The potential for robots to be stolen or vandalized....
If you're watching the same internet videos I am, those robots better be ready for more than that.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by Runaway1956 on Tuesday June 18 2019, @03:37PM (3 children)
Last time I ordered a pizza in Houston, it was delivered by a zombie. The smell of lubricant is a step up from the smell of decomposition.
(Score: 2) by ilPapa on Tuesday June 18 2019, @06:20PM (2 children)
Why would you order pizza delivery in Houston? You've got Luna, or Luigi's right there. Go sit down and enjoy yourself instead of eating some cold pizza in your underwear in front of the TV.
You are still welcome on my lawn.
(Score: 2) by takyon on Tuesday June 18 2019, @10:16PM
Right where?
They say these are for "last-mile deliveries". Why not just walk or drive to Domino's? Why are millions of people getting pizzas delivered?! Can't those fuckers just walk to Luna and Luigi's?!!!!! Must be the weed.
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(Score: 2, Redundant) by Runaway1956 on Tuesday June 18 2019, @11:52PM
'Cause I was so tired, I had problems walking to the hotel door to get my pizza, maybe? I called for a pizza, ate 3 slices, and crashed hard.
(Score: 2) by DannyB on Tuesday June 18 2019, @03:58PM
Imagine if instead of using drones and bombs, you could simply have a Dominos robot deliver their standard pizza to the intended target?
When trying to solve a problem don't ask who suffers from the problem, ask who profits from the problem.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday June 18 2019, @05:02PM (2 children)
How will the pay for college?
(Score: 1, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday June 18 2019, @05:54PM (1 child)
They will stop going and save a lot of money.
(Score: 2) by DannyB on Tuesday June 18 2019, @08:22PM
You mean they will save a lot of debt. Also known as 'other people's money'.
When trying to solve a problem don't ask who suffers from the problem, ask who profits from the problem.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by ilPapa on Tuesday June 18 2019, @06:17PM (1 child)
As someone who has lived in Houston, I can tell you that pizza-delivery robots will provide great entertainment and excellent target practice for the firearms enthusiasts.
You are still welcome on my lawn.
(Score: 2) by takyon on Tuesday June 18 2019, @10:03PM
There's a lot of talk about robots and drones getting shot up. A few arrests will help solve that.
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(Score: 1) by CheesyMoo on Tuesday June 18 2019, @10:12PM
Can't wait til this rolls out to my neighborhood so I can drunkenly make use of my Piece of the Pie Rewards points.
It used to be that the trio of medium 2 topping pies was the best bang for your buck.
But they keep changing the coupons and if you err you may spend $60 for the same pile of indigestible garlic tinged insulation that a clever couponeer would get for $19
Be vigilant drunk and stoned binge eaters!