Yango Group, a global technology company, has launched a pilot programme for autonomous robot-powered food delivery at Expo City Dubai. The delivery service will enhance convenience for Expo City’s employees, residents, and visitors, while supporting Dubai’s smart city ambitions.
Seamlessly blending into smart city environments, the last-mile autonomous robots will deliver meals from select cafés and restaurants to Expo City’s main office in Al Wasl Plaza during a four-month pilot programme. The robots independently plan their routes, manoeuvre around obstacles, and give way to pedestrians, while navigating urban areas with precision using AI.
“We are thrilled to collaborate with Expo City Dubai on this pilot programme. Its clearly defined zones provide a perfectly controlled environment to safely and efficiently test autonomous technologies. In line with Expo City’s vision as a blueprint for future cities, our robots combine cutting-edge AI technology with sustainable last-mile delivery practices to elevate daily life in smart communities,” stated Nikita Gavrilov, Regional Head, Yango Tech Autonomy.
Using high-definition maps and an array of sensors, the delivery robots plan routes in real time and avoid pedestrians, vehicles, and static obstacles — even in low-light conditions or adverse weather. Powered by electricity, the robots produce zero emissions and operate more quietly than traditional delivery vehicles.
“Expo City is a testbed for bold breakthroughs in technology and innovation, with its Urban Lab providing an open city-wide space to pilot and scale solutions needed for future human-centric cities. Urban Lab lowers barriers to innovation, rigorously testing solutions and preparing markets to adopt impactful, sustainable technologies. Testing Yango Group’s autonomous delivery robots at Expo City is one of many ways our Urban Lab is setting the standard for cities of the future,” stated Dr Amy Hochadel, Vice President – Urban Lab, Expo City Dubai.
This initiative expands Yango Tech — Yango Group’s B2B ecosystem — and enhances its portfolio of AI-powered enterprise solutions, reinforcing the company’s commitment to delivering cutting-edge, tech-driven innovations for businesses worldwide.
At present, the pilot programme is available exclusively for deliveries to the Al Wasl 3 office building. Users can order meals through the Expo City Eats app, which facilitates food delivery services across the city, and Yango Group’s robots will deliver from four restaurants to a designated point in the office.
Following the successful completion of the pilot, the service is expected to expand, delivering from additional Expo City restaurants to all residents and commercial tenants as part of a full commercial rollout.
