The new age is here as robots can deliver your groceries in two areas of Northampton from today

A new grocery delivery system has launched in Northampton whereby robots will arrive at doorsteps with milk, eggs and other essentials.

Starship Technologies, which specialises in autonomous delivery services, has today (November 25) launched in Hardingstone and Wootton in partnership with Co-op.

Customers who live within a three mile radius of the local convenience stores in the two areas of Northampton will be able to order groceries to be delivered by a robot on the same day.

The robots use a combination of sensors, artificial intelligence and machine learning to travel on pavements and navigate around any obstacles.

Computer vision-based navigation helps the robots to map their environment to the nearest inch as customers can watch in real-time on an app while the robot makes its journey to them.

Once the robot arrives, customers receive an alert and can then meet and unlock the robot through the app.

Councillor Jason Smithers, cabinet member for Highways and Place at Northampton County Council, said: “We have heard extremely positive feedback about how well loved Starship’s robots are and the benefits they have brought to local neighbourhoods, especially this year with the pandemic.

“We’re happy that residents in Northampton now have access to this world leading on-demand delivery service and we’re excited about further expansion.”

Northampton is the second UK town where the delivery service has launched following the introduction of the robots in Milton Keynes in April 2018, where delivery numbers have soared during the pandemic.

Milk, eggs, bread, bananas and cucumber have been the most popular items delivered by the bots in the nearby town.

Some restaurants and other shops are also now on board with the robot deliveries in Milton Keynes, which Starship has confirmed are in expansion plans for Northampton.

Andrew Curtis, head of UK operations at Starship Technologies, added: “We are thrilled to expand our service in the UK and bring robot delivery to neighbourhoods across Northampton from today.

“We have been humbled by the fantastic reception to our robots from local communities in Milton Keynes over the last two and a half years.

“This is the next step in our growth ambitions as we look to further roll out our service across the UK in the near future following increasing demand during the pandemic."

To order a robot delivery from the Hardingstone or Wootton Co-op, download the ‘Starship - Food Delivery’ app on Android and iOS.

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