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New Zealand gets a slice of pizza robotics action

Xinhua, March 18, 2016 Adjust font size:

The New Zealand government is adopting with a cheesy idea to encourage advances in driverless vehicles -- a pizza delivery robot.

Transport Minister Simon Bridges said Friday the government was working with U.S.-based pizza chain Domino's to explore the possibility of testing an autonomous pizza delivery unit in New Zealand.

New Zealand was one of the first countries in the world being considered for testing the unit named DRU (Domino's Robotic Unit).

"This is an exciting opportunity for New Zealand. DRU is an early prototype, but the fact that New Zealand is being considered as a test site shows we have the right settings to attract innovation," Bridges said in a statement.

Supporting new technologies and encouraging innovation was a government priority.

"New Zealanders are keen and early adopters of new technological innovation," said Bridges.

"Over the last 12 months I've been actively and aggressively promoting New Zealand as a test bed for new transport technology trials. Our enabling laws and regulation means we have the ideal environment to trial all forms of technology," he said.

"Last year we put in place a new world-class framework for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), we've reviewed the laws for driverless vehicles and we are currently reviewing small passenger services settings to put New Zealand at the forefront of transport innovation," said Bridges.

"If successful, this driverless vehicle trial could open the door to many more commercial opportunities."

Officials from the Ministry of Transport and the New Zealand Transport Agency were working with Domino's on the possibility of trialling the four-wheel vehicle in New Zealand.

The DRU contained compartments built to keep pizzas hot and drinks cold, while traveling on the footpath at a safe speed from the store to the customer's door, according to the Domino's website.

It was able to navigate from a starting point to his destination, selecting the best path of travel with on-board sensors to perceive obstacles and avoid them if necessary. Endit