On some university campuses and in some suburban neighbourhoods, small wheeled robots now deliver food and parcels. Customers place an order through an app, and a robot travels along the pavement at walking speed to the delivery address. The customer then unlocks the robot's storage compartment with a code sent to their phone. Companies operating these robots claim that they can reduce delivery costs, especially for short trips where paying a human driver would be expensive. The robots are electric, so they produce no exhaust emissions while moving. However, they currently work best in areas with wide, well-maintained pavements and few steps. Heavy snow, crowded streets and uneven surfaces remain difficult for them. There are also social questions. Some pedestrians complain that the robots block the pavement, and people using wheelchairs have raised concerns about sharing narrow paths with them. In response, several cities have limited the areas in which the robots may operate and set maximum speeds. For the time being, the robots are likely to complement human delivery workers rather than replace them.

The robots operate most easily in areas with wide and well-maintained pavements.