TL;DR
Starship Technologies is expanding its autonomous robot delivery service in Leeds beyond Co-op groceries to include multiple Uber Eats merchants. The six-wheeled robots, which have completed nine million deliveries globally, will now serve Headingley, Hyde Park, and Woodhouse areas.
UK City Becomes Testbed for Autonomous Delivery
Leeds is cementing its position as a proving ground for autonomous delivery technology as Starship Technologies announces a significant expansion of its robot fleet. The Estonian company’s distinctive six-wheeled robots, a familiar sight delivering Co-op groceries since 2022, will now carry orders from multiple Uber Eats merchants across several busy neighbourhoods.
The expansion into Headingley, Hyde Park, and Woodhouse marks a strategic shift from single-retailer trials to a multi-merchant delivery model. Starship reports its robots typically complete deliveries within 30 minutes for distances up to two miles, offering a practical solution for last-mile logistics in densely populated urban areas.
Global Scale and Future Ambitions
The Leeds expansion comes as Starship reaches a significant milestone: nine million completed deliveries across seven countries. The company has addressed key challenges including safety validation, regulatory approval, and all-weather reliability—factors crucial for achieving profitability at scale.
Sarfraz Maredia, Uber’s global head of autonomous operations, described autonomous delivery as “an exciting part of how we see the future.” The partnership signals growing confidence in robot delivery as a viable commercial proposition rather than merely an experimental novelty.
Looking Forward
Starship has outlined ambitious expansion plans, targeting multiple European countries in 2025 before entering the US market in 2027. Meanwhile, Uber continues building its autonomous portfolio, with robotaxi trials using Wayve technology planned for London next year. For UK businesses, these developments suggest autonomous delivery may soon transition from pilot programmes to mainstream operations.
Source: Silicon UK