Food delivery robots are coming to a portion of Chicago’s South Side after Alderman William Hall approved the program’s expansion in his ward. Serve Robotics, one of two companies operating delivery robots on the North and West sides, will bring its fleet to the 6th Ward.
Expanding Access to Technology
Hall said bringing the program to his ward will give neighbors access to 21st-century technology available on the other side of Chicago. The city’s delivery robot program, which has been critiqued by some and banned in one North Side ward, currently doesn’t operate on the South Side.
Serve recently received written approval from Hall granting the company access to expand operations in the 6th Ward, which includes portions of Greater Grand Crossing, Englewood, and Chatham. The company anticipates launching service there this fall.
Community Engagement
On June 2, Hall hosted ‘Free Lunch on the Robots,’ an event in partnership with Serve Robotics that introduced community members to the delivery robots roaming other parts of the city. Neighbors who attended the event received free lunch from Soul Veg City and Mabe’s Sandwich Shop.
The partnership with Serve will also introduce children to opportunities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Hall will work with Serve to introduce students at Englewood STEM and Simeon high schools to careers in robotics.
Original reporting: Block Club Chicago — read the source article.
