Robot deliveries about to get OK from Wisconsin Senate

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Robot delivery vehicles may soon be cruising down sidewalks in some Wisconsin cities.

The state Senate was set to pass a bill Tuesday that would legalize the delivery robots. The proposal would still have to pass the Assembly and be signed by Gov. Scott Walker before becoming law.

The robots are essentially high-tech rolling coolers loaded with sensors that can read the environment. Humans also can operate them remotely. Starship Technologies has been using them to deliver takeout food in Europe, California and Washington, D.C.

The bill would limit the robots' operations to sidewalks and crosswalks, set an 80-pound weight limit and a 10-mph speed limit and require operators to control or monitor the devices.

Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Share this article: