The use of robots for product delivery is an increasingly relevant topic in the world of high technology. However, a recent incident in Los Angeles has raised concerns about the potential negative consequences of this innovation. Uber Eats, a popular food delivery service, introduced robots for food delivery in certain areas of Los Angeles about a year ago. Since then, fears have emerged about the potential use of these robots by the police for surveillance purposes.
According to a report by 404 Media, Serve Robotics, the company that provides robots for Uber Eats, recently submitted a video to the Los Angeles Police Department as part of a criminal investigation. The incident occurred when an individual attempted to steal one of the Serve robots from the street. In response, the police requested the video footage from Serve Robotics to identify the suspects involved in the attempted theft.
While this incident may seem harmless, it raises concerns about the potential use of delivery robots in criminal investigations. Companies like Tesla and Amazon Ring, which heavily utilize surveillance technologies, have already become integral to police investigations across America.
404 Media suggests that autonomous vehicles, similar to the Serve Robotics robots, could easily be utilized as mobile surveillance devices. Experts point out that Serve robots continuously record their surroundings, but it is unclear how long the company retains these video recordings.
The incident involving Serve Robotics is just the tip of the iceberg when considering the broader implications of this issue. The emergence of autonomous technologies provides law enforcement agencies with new tools for more effective and cost-efficient fulfillment of their tasks. While it remains uncertain whether delivery robots will become one of these tools, the advancement of AI undoubtedly expands the possibilities for surveillance and data collection.