Mayor welcomes plan to trial robot deliveries in Nottingham

Deliveroo and Coco Robotics , one of the largest pavement delivery fleets across the US and Europe, have today announced plans to bring robot deliveries to towns and cities across the UK through a new strategic partnership – with Nottingham among the pilot locations.

In the new partnership, the two companies are launching in multiple locations, beginning with Canary Wharf in London this October, before launching in Nottingham and then Milton Keynes, Leeds and Stockton on Tees in the coming weeks and months.

The launches have been welcomed by local authorities across the UK in a positive sign of support for the innovative new service and job creation the partnership will bring. Coco is also in discussions with other councils across both London and the UK.

Mayor of the East Midlands, Claire Ward said: “The East Midlands has always been a region that nurtures and welcomes innovation. We want to meet the needs of the present whilst shaping the future, and this means taking opportunities to work differently.

“Coco Robotics’ UK launch is an excellent opportunity to bring new technology into the region, and we are delighted that Nottingham will host a pilot scheme. We look forward to working with them to explore the potential for autonomous delivery and the benefits it could bring to businesses, residents and the region as a whole.”

The multi-city rollout marks Coco’s entry into the UK, extending the company’s expansion across Europe. The launch will be backed by local investment in UK operational infrastructure, creating skilled jobs in operations, maintenance and logistics across each region, supported by new depot and charging facilities.

The partnership represents a milestone in Deliveroo’s autonomous delivery journey, marking its first use of autonomous delivery vehicles in the UK. The move reflects the company’s strategy to develop a multi-modal last-mile delivery approach by scaling new delivery methods for consumers and merchants.

Robot deliveries to complement rider network

While the majority of orders will continue to be fulfilled by Deliveroo’s extensive rider network, Coco’s fully electric robots are suited to short-distances and navigating urban environments, offering additional flexibility to local businesses on Deliveroo’s platform to fulfil more orders.

Built to travel safely and navigate busy urban environments, Coco’s robots operate at walking pace, moving safely through busy city streets while carrying orders directly to customers. Each delivery is zero-emission and reduces urban congestion.

Through its partnership with BlindSquare, Coco will also share real-time data on pavement hazards identified by its robots, so that the company can update its app to help alert blind and partially sighted pedestrians to obstacles ahead.

Miki Kuusi, Deliveroo chief executive officer, said: “London is where Deliveroo was born, so it feels fitting that we’re launching our first UK autonomous delivery service with Coco Robotics here before expanding our exclusive partnership to more towns and cities nationwide, building on our partnership in other geographies.

“We see huge potential in autonomous delivery and we are looking forward to working with Coco to bring more flexibility to our delivery network, helping local restaurants and shops meet increasing consumer demand. We firmly believe that robot and drone technology should benefit High Street businesses of all sizes, helping them remain competitive and meet consumers in new ways.” 

‘Thrilled’ with robot deliveries

Zach Rash, Coco Robotics co-founder and chief executive officer, said: “We’re thrilled to be bringing Coco to the UK with Deliveroo as our launch partner. The interest here has been incredible and we’re committed to building something that creates lasting value for local merchants and the communities they serve. As we expand further across the UK, we look forward to giving more businesses another reliable delivery option and more communities access to the kind of infrastructure that makes delivery work better for everyone.”

Ilkka Pirttimaa, BlindSquare founder, said: “We’re seeing firsthand how Coco’s real-time pavement data delivers tangible safety improvements for our users in every city where we operate together.

“Coco’s robots are essentially a real-time accessibility mapping network, feeding hazard data, discarded e-scooters, temporary construction, straight into BlindSquare’s self-voicing app, giving blind and partially sighted pedestrians the crucial seconds they need to navigate safely.

“London is historic, dynamic, and often challenging to navigate. Bringing this safety layer here is a major step forward, and it’s what autonomous technology should look like in a city. Coco’s robots don’t just share the pavement, they help make it more accessible for everyone.”