Fast food giant is testing robots that can deliver pizza

Domino's is testing out pizza delivrey robots in New Zealand, the company said on Friday, describing the hi-tech, driverless units as the first of its kind.

The move is enthusiastically backed by the New Zealand government and Domino's says it is working with authorities to roll out what it calls DRU (Domino's Robotic Unit).

The four-wheeler is developed in Australia and is just under a metre high with a heated compartment that can hold up to ten pizzas.

The unit is battery powered and uses on-board sensors to avoid obstacles. Domino's says it can deliver pizzas with a 20 kilometer radius of a store before returning to charge.

When they order, customers are given a code which they will enter when the DRU arrives to access the locked compartment containing their pizza.

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“DRU is cheeky and endearing and we are confident that one day he will become an integral part of the Domino’s family,” Domino's New Zealand general manager Scott Bush said. “He’s a road to the future and one that we are very excited about exploring further.”

A date for the trial is yet to be finalised but Simon Bridges, New Zealand's transport Minister, said the government is working with Domino's on the project and was interested in seeing it proceed.

“This is an exciting opportunity for New Zealand… over the last 12 months I’ve been actively and aggressively promoting New Zealand as a test bed for new transport technology trials,” Bridges said.

New Zealand is currently working on laws pertaining to driverless vehicles such as the DRU, a vehicle designed to operate on both roads and footpaths.