Although currently, DRU cannot go up stairs or ride an elevator, the little robots will deliver their hot and fresh pizza right outside the consumer's door. Customers are given a code to allow them to remove their food from DRU. The best part is that DRU will keep the pizza hot, the drinks icy cold, and the robot won't stick out a hand for that tip.
Quite a few followers of the Domino's New Zealand Facebook page brought up all possible scenarios of hungry people encountering the small robot and removing the delicious contents as he attempted to traverse to his delivery destination. While this seems improbable, as DRU weights 190 kilos (214 lbs), Domino's made it clear that they have already thought about the security and safety of their little robot and the delicious contents inside.
"The safety of all our delivery fleet is a number one priority and DRU is absolutely no different. We will be taking every precaution necessary to ensure he is safe including surveillance and security etc. Thanks, Bree"
While there currently is not an immediate need for a robot delivery lane on streets or sidewalks, Domino's promises that they will continue to work diligently to make DRU a reality soon. There are plans to have the robots in Queensland, Australia stores in the next six months, and within two years, they are expected to be delivering regularly. There is no official date for DRU pizza deliveries in the United States as of now, but this is sure to occur as other pizza companies plan for their own creative pizza delivery technologies.
Domino's promises that DRU will "take the world by storm." As technology continues to innovate, along with rapid advances in the interconnectivity that encompasses the Internet of Things, we will see more self-driving robots, vehicles, and drones in the next few years. Very soon, we will meet DRU, the "cheeky and endearing" robot forever changing the way pizza is delivered.
[Photo from Domino's]
