Autonomous driving technology could soon show up in your driveway as Domino’s will begin delivering pizzas with Nuro’s R2 autonomous delivery vehicle.
The service is slated to begin this week, but it will be limited to a single store in the Woodland Heights neighborhood of Houston, Texas.
According to the pizza giant, select customers who place an order online will be given the option of having their pizza delivered autonomously. These customers will receive text alerts, which will update them on the R2’s location and provide them with a unique PIN code to retrieve their order. Once the vehicle arrives, they simply type in their PIN and the doors open to reveal their pizza.
Also Read: Nuro’s Driverless Pods To Start Delivering Groceries In Houston
Domino’s noted the R2 is the “first completely autonomous, occupantless on-road delivery vehicle with a regulatory approval by the U.S. Department of Transportation” and will enable them to provide customers with an all-new delivery experience.
While the pilot program is limited to a single store, Domino’s chief innovation officer Dennis Maloney said “There is still so much for our brand to learn about the autonomous delivery space. This program will allow us to better understand how customers respond to the deliveries, how they interact with the robot and how it affects store operations.”
Domino’s isn’t the only company exploring autonomous delivery. Back in 2018, Kroger and Nuro announced an autonomous grocery delivery pilot program which included tests in Scottsdale, Arizona and Houston, Texas. The company has also partnered with Walmart and it’s likely we’ll see more announcements in the future.
