From autonomous vehicles and drones to mobile robots, automated food deliveries are spreading. Cyan Robotics Inc., which does business as Coco, yesterday announced the official launch of COCO 1, a larger, more advanced version of its signature pink delivery robot. Coco designed and manufactured COCO 1 in partnership with micromobility provider Segway Inc.
“Amidst the ongoing labor shortage and growing demand for delivery robots, we believe that Coco is embarking on an exciting journey in a blue-ocean market,” said Tony Ho, vice president of global business development at Segway. “This collaboration is by far Segway's largest endeavor in the delivery robotics space. When we thought about expanding into robotic delivery, we knew we wanted to partner with a brand that had similar values as us.”
“We saw that alignment in Coco's commitment to serving merchants and their customers and are excited to deliver on that commitment by leveraging the safety and sustainability features offered by the Segway RMP,” he added.
Coco upgrades delivery robot
“We strongly believe the delivery service industry in its current state is massively under-serving merchants,” said Coco. The Venice, Calif.-based company uses remotely operated vehicles for last-mile deliveries, which it claimed provide a more “frictionless” and sustainable experience for merchants and their customers.
Since the brand's official launch in 2020, Coco has worked with over 50 merchants across the Los Angeles area. The company plans more expansions in the coming year.
Coco guarantees a 97% on-time delivery rate within 30 minutes and 30% reduction in total delivery time. It said it has received “an overwhelmingly positive response from consumers.”
COCO 1 includes new features, including a more efficient drivetrain and a larger battery capacity that allows for a delivery radius of up to three miles, nearly double the range of the original model, said Coco.
In addition, the mobile robot has multiple cameras and sensors to assist remote pilots in safely navigating around traffic and obstructions and to efficiently plan delivery routes.
COCO 1 can carry groceries
With its increased range and carrying capacity, the COCO 1 can deliver larger orders for a wider range of merchants, further eliminating the need for car-based delivery in metropolitan areas, said Coco.
The company added that the launch of COCO 1 enables it to branch into the grocery space. The COCO 1 can hold up to four full grocery bags.
COCO 1 will make its debut with Erewhon Market, a Los Angeles-based health foods grocery store, and it will be stationed at locations across the city. Coco said the launch will support its expansion outside of the Los Angeles area, making grocery shopping more convenient and accessible in any major city.
“At Coco, our merchants' needs are at the forefront of all design and development decisions,” said Zach Rash, co-founder and CEO of Coco. “With COCO 1, we applied merchant feedback to increase carrying capacity, allowing for larger food, grocery, and pizza deliveries, while also improving vehicle efficiency to decrease delivery times.”
“With faster speeds, more stable driving, increased delivery radius and a larger vehicle, we're very excited to provide a better experience for both our customers and merchants,” he said.
Coco recently announced a partnership with C³ and a Series A funding round of $36 million, both of which will support its expansion to other major markets and offerings to new merchants. The company plans to deploy thousands of COCO 1 robots to serve local merchants in multiple cities over the next few months.
Article topics
Email Sign Up
Related Delivery Service News
