Chip and beverage maker PepsiCo is trialing a six-wheeled, self-driving robot set to deliver snacks to student at the University of Pacific in Stockton, Calif., according to the Associated Press (AP). Starting Thursday, January 3, students can place their order via a smartphone app, and meet the delivery robot at more than 50 campus locations.
According to Robby Technologies who made the robots, the machines can travel up to 6 mph. Only a fleet of three robots will be roaming around campus at first, and eventually it will grow to a five-robot crew.
The autonomous machines stand less than 3 ft tall, weigh 80 lb, and will stop moving once someone is detected in front of them, reports AP. Although they’re self-driving designs, three campus workers will be tasked with refilling the robots’ inventory and replacing batteries.
PepsiCo started this endeavor in response to customers’ desire for a more convenient way to buy snacks from mobile devices.