Domino’s latest ‘‘delivery person’’ stands 3 feet tall and doesn’t need to be tipped. It has ferried pizzas in Brisbane at a top speed of 12 miles per hour, and the company’s Australian master franchise said it’s excited for what could come next.
‘‘We have a relentless passion to push the boundaries of what’s possible with pizza delivery,’’ said Michael Gillespie, chief digital officer for Domino’s in Australia. ‘‘As we get further, it’s not hard to believe that we might have a store with a couple of [robots] that are doing deliveries.’’
Domino’s has started using a robotic cart named DRU, which stands for Domino’s Robotic Unit, to deliver its offerings. So far Domino’s has only one DRU. The prototype was developed with an Australian startup, Marathon Robotics.
The DRU drives on bike paths and sidewalks to find the most efficient, fastest route. Gillespie pointed to its ability to circumvent heavy traffic as a key advantage over vehicles.
DRU is not being used on roadways, and legal approval is a hurdle.
