Coca-Cola European Partners PLC, the British bottler of Coca-Cola Co. beverages, said Aug. 22 that it will trial deliveries using robotic technology in partnership with autonomous driving startup TeleRetail GmbH.
The company will pilot the service at Alton Towers Resort in Staffordshire, England. During the trial, a robot will pick up products from the Alton Towers distribution center and deliver them to drinks outlets across the park.
The robot will use artificial intelligence, GPS technology, as well as sight, sound and motion sensors, to navigate around the park during the peak summer season. It travels at 3 mph and distances of up to 50 kilometers.
"If the trial is successful, there are many potential applications for this technology at Alton Towers," Alton Towers Resort's commercial director, Neil Crittenden, said. "Who knows, in the future guests may be able to order drinks from the queue line to be delivered by robots when they finish a ride, or we could see automated room service deliveries across our 700 hotel rooms."
