Like self-driving delivery services launched by the company in North America, the Tokyo robots will be limited in scope at first, said Uber Eats executive Alvin Oo. “Going all the way to the office floor, to the exact apartment… could be useful in somewhere like high-rise Tokyo,” said Oo, market operations director at Uber Eats Japan. Uber Eats and similar apps faced strikes last month, and rideshare giant Uber has long been criticised for dodging minimum wage and holiday pay rules by arguing its workers are not employees but independent contractors. The Uber Eats robots, developed with Mitsubishi Electric and US start-up Cartken, will deliver food from just a few restaurants in the busy Nihonbashi district at first. Users cannot choose robot delivery, and if it is selected for them they can accept or decline the offer.

Source: Economic Times March 05, 2024 21:13 UTC