With classes starting up for the fall semester and hungry Vols back on campus, a new and improved Grubhub robot has taken to UT’s sidewalks.
Vol Dining recently switched its delivery robot partnership from Starship Technologies to Avride, an autonomous vehicle and delivery robot company based in Austin, Texas. The change comes after Starship ended its delivery robot service at colleges and universities across the country.
Ryan Moore, public information officer for the University of Tennessee Police Department and Public Safety, shared information about the change and what students can expect from the new robots.
Why the change?
Vol Dining’s food services have been provided by ARAMARK since their contract began in 1997. This eventually led them to use Grubhub for mobile ordering and robot delivery.
“Vol Dining leadership works with on-campus Aramark leadership for delivery service decisions to meet students’ needs,” Moore said.
Starship Technologies first launched its robots at George Mason University in 2019. UT later brought the robots to campus on March 8, 2022, giving students a new way to order a meal before class or have a late-night snack delivered to their door.
In July, Starship Technologies ended its service to higher education across the country. The company announced that it would remove 1,200 delivery robots from college campuses as it shifts more focus toward grocery delivery operations.
What’s the difference?
Students will continue ordering robot delivery through Grubhub with no change to the ordering process. However, the new robots have some distinct differences in their technological features.
“The Avride robots have a greater capacity for larger orders, improved high-accuracy tracking and navigation, and LED-panel digital eyes that give them distinctive visual personality,” Moore said.
The new robots are also bigger in size than the former Starship robots. According to the Starship website, the former robots measure approximately 27.4 inches long, 22.4 inches wide and 22.5 inches tall.
The Avride website lists the new robots as 36 inches long, 25.9 inches wide and 33.5 inches tall, with the ability to hold six 16-inch pizzas and five 1.5-liter bottles at once.
Moore also said that the new robots have a more reliable navigation system that uses more intricate mapping technology.
“Unlike the previous Starship robots, which relied on a single level of mapping and could shift into autonomous mode when a route took too long, Avride robots use a more advanced, multi-layered mapping system,” Moore said. “This system incorporates local, 2D, and 3D mapping of campus routes, helping the robots identify roads and pathways and navigate more precisely and efficiently.”
While the provider of the robots has changed, students will not have to learn a new system. The replacement is expected to have a smooth implementation.
“Avride integrates seamlessly with the existing Grubhub ordering platform and can use existing docking locations on campus,” Moore said.
Moore said UT is currently readying the robots, and they will begin serving students shortly.
“Some of the robots are already on campus, and they have been actively mapping and testing in preparation for service, and you should see them fully up and running during the coming weeks,” Moore said.
Dining and Cooking