Just Eat Takeaway.com is piloting the use of autonomous ground robots for food delivery in Zurich, becoming the first on-demand delivery company in Europe to test wheeled-legged robotics powered by Physical AI. The pilot is in collaboration with Swiss robotics company RIVR, and marks a step toward the company’s broader adoption of automation technologies to improve delivery efficiency.
The RIVR robot distinguishes itself from existing ground robotics by combining wheels for efficient travel with legs that allow it to climb stairs and curbs. Operating at around 15 km/h, the robot can deliver even in rain, snow, heat, or wind. It has a 40-litre cargo space with an internal divider to prevent spillage, and is designed to safely navigate urban environments using Physical AI, which enables the robot to understand and adapt to its surroundings, avoiding obstacles and safely interacting with pedestrians, vehicles, and cyclists.
The pilot starts with real food orders from local restaurant Zekis World. The robot functions similarly to a courier, with a secure locking system for order handovers. Orders are placed into the robot by the restaurant and unlocked by the customer upon arrival.
Each delivery is monitored in real time from a remote operations centre. The robot can stop automatically or via remote command in case of emergencies and is equipped with lights and a flag for visibility at all times.
Joerg Gerbig, Chief Operating Officer at Just Eat Takeaway.com, said: “At Just Eat Takeaway.com, our vision is to empower everyday convenience, and we believe automation is an important driver in bringing that vision to life. It drives our commitment to exploring, testing and integrating innovations and technologies, all aimed at enhancing our service and driving an even better experience for our ecosystem.”
Marko Bjelonic, CEO of RIVR, added: “Our collaboration with Just Eat Takeaway.com is a glimpse into a future where automation blends naturally into our cities, helping people get what they need, when they need it. Physical AI allows our robots to understand and adapt to the real world. It’s a step toward making autonomous delivery not only efficient, but intuitive, safe, and truly human-centred.”
Just Eat Takeaway.com plans to expand robotic deliveries to other European cities and extend the solution to retail and convenience store deliveries. The move builds on the company’s earlier drone delivery pilot in Ireland, part of a wider strategy to boost operational efficiency through automation.
