Autonomous food delivery robots face regulatory roadblock in D.C.

D.C. transportation officials are resisting calls to fast-track regulations for autonomous food delivery robots on city sidewalks, despite pressure from tech companies eager to launch the service. The standoff highlights the tension between innovation advocates pushing for rapid deployment and regulators prioritizing safety concerns, particularly for pedestrians with disabilities.

The big picture: Sharon Kershbaum, director of the D.C. Department of Transportation (DDOT), emphasized that developing rules for sidewalk robots represents “really new territory” requiring careful consideration of pedestrian safety.

• “We’re not dragging our feet. We know people want us to move more quickly. But there are no rules that govern the sidewalk right now,” Kershbaum said during a Wednesday Committee on Transportation and the Environment hearing.
• The agency particularly wants to ensure safety for “those with mobility challenges or who are visually impaired,” she noted.

What they’re saying: Committee Chair Charles Allen pushed back against DDOT’s cautious approach, arguing the agency is moving too slowly on testing the technology.

• “I think we are moving way too slow on this. I want it to be piloted, I want it to be tested, I really want to kick the tires on an idea like this,” Allen said.
• “If we’re just dragging our feet on getting regulations put forward, on doing the piloting and testing, what we’re really doing is limiting our ability to learn.”

Who’s involved: Two robotics companies presented at the hearing, with Coco Robotics expressing willingness to start with limited trials.

• A Coco Robotics representative said, “We’d love to start super small, if you’d be open to something, just to see what it’s like.”
• The companies are pushing for zero-emission delivery robots that would navigate sidewalks to bring food orders to customers throughout the city.

Current status: DDOT has not committed to a timeline for adopting the necessary regulations, though the agency is already testing smaller automated delivery devices around Howard and Georgetown universities.

• Allen described the current university testing technology as “outdated by today’s standards” compared to what companies want to deploy citywide.
• The committee chair is urging DDOT to lift its hold on legislation that would clear the way for autonomous food delivery in D.C.