• Source:JND

A food delivery robot was completely destroyed after being struck by a high-speed train in Miami, an incident that was caught on camera and has since sparked a wider debate online about the safety and future of artificial intelligence-powered delivery jobs. 

The incident occurred on Thursday, January 15, when a small autonomous robot operated by delivery company Coco became stuck on railway tracks in Miami. The collision was recorded by local resident Guillermo Dapelo, who witnessed the dramatic moment while walking his dogs. “I was walking my dogs around 8 pm and that’s when I saw the food car standing on the train tracks,” Dapelo was quoted as saying by Fox 13 Tampa Bay.

Uber Eats Worker Alerted Company

According to Dapelo, an Uber Eats delivery worker noticed the stranded robot and contacted the company to report its location. Despite the alert, the situation could not be resolved in time. Moments later, a Brightline train passed through the area and struck the device, destroying it instantly. No human injuries were reported. 

Coco later confirmed the incident, describing it as the result of a rare technical malfunction. “We are aware of the incident in Miami where a Coco robot experienced a rare hardware failure while crossing railroad tracks,” the company said in a statement. It added that safety remains a top priority and the incident is under review to prevent future occurrences.

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Growing Use Of Delivery Robots Raises Safety Concerns

Food delivery robots have become increasingly common across South Florida, particularly in Fort Lauderdale, Brickell, downtown Miami, and Miami Beach. While Thursday’s incident did not harm any humans, it has renewed concerns about how autonomous technology interacts with critical infrastructure like railways. 

According to Operation Lifesaver safety guidelines, a train travelling at 55 miles per hour can take nearly a mile to stop, and the average locomotive weighs around 200 tons. By contrast, delivery robots are suitcase-sized, move at about five miles per hour, and can carry up to 55 pounds of food. 

Earlier this month, a separate incident in Phoenix showed a Waymo self-driving car stopping on train tracks, forcing a passenger to jump out as a train approached. Valley Metro later confirmed that its control centre was immediately alerted.

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