Food delivery robots on the move in Alexandria

The next time you order delivery, it just might be a robot bringing you your food.

WASHINGTON - The next time you order delivery, it just might be a robot bringing you your food.

What we know:

Autonomous sidewalk delivery company Serve Robotics is on the move in parts of Alexandria. The technology has already launched in other cities, including Los Angeles, Chicago, Miami, Dallas-Fort Worth, and Atlanta.

Director of Government Affairs Yariel Diaz told Fox 5 that the four-wheeled delivery robots operate at what’s called "level four autonomy."

"That means that it has its own brain in the back of the robot that works with AI to determine whether it’s a left, a right, down this part of the sidewalk, down that part of the sidewalk," Diaz said, adding that where exactly the robots operate is a decision made with their operator partner, which in this case is Uber Eats.

"It makes no sense to deliver a two-ton burrito in a two-ton car," he continued.

What they're saying:

In Alexandria Thursday evening, most people who spoke with Fox 5 said they were at least intrigued by the new technology.

"If there was an option to try having a robot deliver food to my house, I would try it," Nick Lynberg said, adding that he would have a few questions about it. "You wonder how it got there. Like, where it drove from, if it’s keeping your food warm."

What's next:

While Alexandria is Serve Robotics' first foray into the DC region, Diaz said the company hopes to expand to other parts of the DMV as well.

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