PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) — An Uber Eats delivery in Center City Philadelphia came with a side of kickback.
A robot got the sidewalk smackdown, marking strike two since the rollout in Philadelphia.
The robot got kicked not once, but twice. The second time, it was toppled over at the entrance of a parking garage at Juniper and Locust streets over the weekend. The pair of people who did it eventually set the robot back on its wheels.
The attack was spotted by FunCab Karaoke, who shared the video with Action News. They say, “It’s a shame that things like that happen in the city.”
This is the second such incident this month. The first one happened at 15th and Locust streets when a passerby sat on the robot.
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While the robots in both incidents look unfazed, Avride, the company that makes these robots, is chiming in.
‘Avride’ sent Action News the following statement:
“When delivery robots are introduced in a new area, it’s quite common to see heightened curiosity from people around them. Some may try to “test” how the robot reacts – for example, by stepping in front of it or attempting to interact with it directly. This is a known and expected phase as people get used to the technology.
Our top priority in these situations is safety. The robots are designed to respond conservatively: in most cases, they will simply stop and wait if someone approaches or interferes, resuming their route only once the interaction has ended. In practice, these moments are usually brief – people tend to satisfy their curiosity within a minute or so and then move on.”
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