Serve Robotics, an autonomous delivery robotics company, has expanded its delivery operations into Koreatown as part of a long-term plan to broaden its geographic reach in Los Angeles and across the US.
Additionally, in preparation for the scale up of its fleet for future expansions, Serve announced the expansion of its lidar supply agreement with Ouster to equip its next-generation robots with upgraded sensors for enhanced performance.
Dr Ali Kashani, Serve co-founder and CEO, says: “Tens of thousands of households in Los Angeles have experienced the convenience of autonomous delivery, with many hundreds of restaurants on Uber Eats serving their customers in a more sustainable and reliable way.
“We’re excited to bring Serve to more customers in Los Angeles and beyond, as we scale our fleet and work to deploy up to 2,000 robots in 2025.”
In June, Serve began onboarding local merchants in partnership with Uber Eats. Today, Koreatown residents ordering on Uber Eats may have their orders fulfilled by a Serve delivery robot.
Serve selected Koreatown for its dense and vibrant commercial hub, growing residential community, and robust sidewalk infrastructure to support robotic delivery.
Serve’s coverage expansion follows ongoing collaboration with Los Angeles city government and local stakeholders.
Expanded lidar supply agreement
As part of the expanded lidar supply agreement, Serve Robotics will continue to outfit its fleet with digital lidar, using Ouster’s new REV7 sensors for optimal performance.
Lidar plays a critical role in Serve’s autonomy stack, enabling its robots to perceive their environment, identify their precise location, and safely navigate alongside pedestrians and other sidewalk users.
Serve anticipates the new sensors will improve the safety, speed and cost effectiveness of its fleet.
Euan Abraham, Serve Robotics’ chief hardware and manufacturing officer, says: “Ouster’s lidar has been integral to our success in commercializing Level 4 autonomy at scale.
“We’ve been impressed by the reliability and performance of lidars over the past several years and are excited to sign an extended agreement that provides us with cutting-edge technology for our next-generation robot.”
