Overview
- Two class-action complaints filed in Cook County on Oct. 15–16 allege Coco Robotics and Serve Robotics used robots’ cameras and sensors to capture customers’ faces and hands without required notice or consent.
- The suits claim the companies violated the Biometric Information Privacy Act, which requires written notice, consent, and retention limits and allows statutory damages for violations.
- Both Coco and Serve have denied the allegations, saying their sensors are for navigation, that they do not use data to identify people, and that collected data complies with law.
- Public pressure has grown through incidents and a 'No Sidewalk Bots' petition that has gathered more than 4,600 signatures and complaints to city agencies about obstruction, safety, and surveillance.
- The lawsuits raise legal and regulatory stakes for Chicago’s Personal Delivery Device pilot, which is overseen by BACP and CDOT and is scheduled to expire in May 2027, and could influence how U.S. cities regulate sidewalk robots.