Delivery robots are rapidly expanding across Los Angeles, with growing support from restaurants—but also rising concern among gig workers who fear losing jobs.
According to a July 24 report by the Los Angeles Times, Coco Robotics, a startup launched at UCLA, currently operates about 1,000 delivery robots across neighborhoods including Koreatown, Silver Lake, and Echo Park. The company plans to expand to 10,000 units by next year.
The robots use AI-based autonomous navigation to make deliveries. So far, Coco Robotics has completed over 500,000 deliveries, generating revenue through collaborations with platforms like Uber Eats, direct contracts with restaurants, and advertising.
Jack Rasiel, co-founder of Coco Robotics, told the Los Angeles Times, “We wanted to create a vehicle that restaurants enjoy using.” He added that robots allow businesses to handle more orders without causing traffic or parking issues.
Restaurant owners have largely responded positively. Jefferson Ortiz, manager at the health-focused cafe Creation Organic, said, “Delivery drivers can sometimes behave rudely, but the robot just delivers quickly and accurately. It’s convenient.”
In Koreatown, however, use of robots remains limited. A Korean American restaurant owner there said, “As far as I know, very few restaurants here use robots right now. But if the costs become more favorable, we’d be open to it.”
Customer responses have been mixed. Many say the robots are convenient and intriguing, while others report technical glitches. One Reddit user shared that a robot failed to reach its destination and would have remained stuck if the order hadn’t been canceled.
Meanwhile, delivery workers say their incomes are being squeezed. Julia Rogiero, who delivers around Silver Lake via Uber Eats, said, “I used to make about five deliveries an hour. Now I’m lucky to get three. I have to drive for Lyft too just to get by.”
Coco Robotics said the robots are designed to handle low-revenue, short-distance deliveries, while longer trips are still assigned to human drivers.
The expansion of delivery robots in Los Angeles offers clear benefits for restaurants in cutting labor costs and boosting efficiency. But for delivery workers, it raises real fears of job displacement. Experts say the broader social and economic impacts of automation in the service industry now require public discussion.
BY WONHEE CHO [cho.wonhee@koreadaily.com]
