Chicken on robots? Chick-Fil-A is planning to launch an autonomous delivery pilot with the help of Refraction AI to deliver goodies and reduce delivery costs at the same time.
Chick-fil-A is Partnering with Refraction AI to Offer Alternatives for DoorDash and UberEats
According to the story by Tech Crunch, Chick-Fil-A is tapping a company that was founded in 2019 called Refraction AI. The company's initial goal was to use robotics in order to help lower the costs of deliveries.
Chick-Fil-A won't be the first company working with the startup as Reflection AI has already worked directly with restaurants in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Reflection AI offered an alternative for DoorDash or UberEats and allowed customers to pick bike-lane-bound robots.
Refraction AI Found that Customers Prioritize Favorable Delivery Rates
The startup decided to move its commercial operations to Austin, Texas, according to The Alike, where it started to work with restaurants and build individual relationships. Due to their research, they found that one top priority for customers is still favorable delivery rates.
Tech Crunch noted that the advantage of Refraction AI was that it was able to deliver "higher quality and scalable service." Matthew Johnson-Roberson, the chief technology officer of Refraction AI, gave a statement to the publication.
The Startup Launches a Fleet of Self-Driving Vehicles to Handle Deliveries for Restaurants
As per Johnson-Roberson, although customers might be able to negotiate DoorDash rates, it could be hard for them to get "A1 quality drivers" that are not only on time but also make sure that the food gets to the consumer while it's hot.
Chick-fil-A said that it has listed Refraction AI to deploy its specialized chicken sandwiches through a fleet of the startup's self-driving vehicles. So far, Refraction AI will be delivering the restaurant's orders from two different restaurants located in Austin.
Refraction AI Robot Delivery Service Commercial Pilot to Start in Late June
The restaurants that will provide an option for Refraction AI to deploy include 6th & Congress and Martin Luther King boulevard. Both Chick-fil-A and the robotics delivery service startup both started their testing on 6th & Congress.
Refraction AI said that by late June, they will start rolling out the commercial pilot for their robot delivery service. Johnson-Roberson stated that although they can't speak for the restaurant, they are getting a sense that the experimentations highlight gaps in the market regarding the type of delivery service consumers are looking for.
Read Also: Wing Zone Partners With Miso Robotics to Bring Automated Chicken Wings Chef
Company Found an Affordable and Sustainable Use of Autonomy Technology in Delivery
Although Refraction AI did not give a specific number regarding how many vehicles it would deploy for Chick-fil-A, Johnson-Roberson said that it is "an order of 10."
According to a post on PR News Wire, Johnson-Roberson said that the company has been able to unlock a lot of benefits when it comes to affordable and sustainable use of autonomy technology when it comes to delivery.
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This article is owned by Tech Times
Written by Urian B.
