Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Chicago Petition Seeks Pause on Sidewalk Delivery Robots as City Reviews Safety

CDOT is evaluating pedestrian impacts, with the pilot set to require City Council action before May 2027.

Overview

  • An online petition started by Josh Robertson has gathered about 2,500 signatures calling for a pause, release of safety data, a public hearing, and clearer rules.
  • Residents report collisions and obstructions involving the robots, including a restaurant worker who said one rammed into the back of her leg.
  • Robots from companies including Serve, Coco and Uber run short sidewalk routes, and viral videos show units stuck in snow, raising reliability concerns.
  • Serve Robotics’ Vignesh Ram defended the devices as slower and lower risk, citing an approximate 1.5-mile delivery range and a fraction of a car’s kinetic energy.
  • City responses include a CDOT safety assessment, constituent surveys by aldermen, and a BACP notice that the pilot will end by May 2027 without City Council approval.