Avride rolls out its next-gen sidewalk delivery robots

Avride, the robotics company that spun out of Russian search giant Yandex, has a new sidewalk delivery robot to show off.

The company currently operates a fleet of six-wheeled delivery robots in Austin, Texas, delivering Uber Eats orders to customers, as well as South Korea. Now Avride’s next generation model is shedding a couple of wheels — and showing big gains in efficiency.

The new robot only has four wheels, which Avride says is more energy efficient than its six-wheeled model. The six-wheeled versions were simple to build, and could turn confidently on a variety of surfaces. But they also created a lot of friction, which ate up a lot of energy from the robot’s internal battery.

The new four-wheeled designs are much more efficient in their energy consumption, which means they can stay in operation longer before needing to be recharged. And Avride redesigned the chassis to support improved maneuverability and precision.

The robot’s wheels are mounted on movable arms attached to a pivoting axle, which allows the wheels to rotate both inward and outward, reducing friction during turns. And instead of using traditional front and rear axles, the wheels are mechanically connected in pairs on each side. This allows for “simultaneous adjustment of the turning angles of both wheels on each side, enabling precise positioning for executing maneuvers,” Avride says.

The new generation models can turn 180-degrees almost instantly, which the company says will improve the robot’s ability to navigate narrow sidewalks and reverse out of the way for someone in a wheelchair or a stroller.

This video shows how Avride’s new robot can navigate tight turns, as well as inclines.

The company also made improvements to the robot’s control system for improved torque, and updated the hardware with Nvidia’s Jetson Orin platform. A modular cargo area will now allow Avride’s operators to swap in a variety of compartments based on the size of the package. And a new front-facing LED panel can display friendly-seeming digital eyes — to reduce instances of the robot being attacked or vandalized.

“The various eye expressions not only ‘bring the robot to life’ but also create a sense of interaction for clients when the robot looks around or winks after delivering an order,” the company says.

Avride’s new robots are being manufactured in Taiwan, and are expected to join its Austin-based fleet in the coming days. Avride spokesperson Yulia Shveyko said the company expects to have “at least a hundred” deployed by January 2025.

The company recently struck a deal with Uber to expand operations to Jersey City and Dallas, as well as a robotaxi service.