Delivery robots spark fears after bot nearly runs over UK councilwoman’s dog

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Delivery robots are causing concern in the UK after a local council member reported a near miss with her dog, claiming a robot almost ran it over.

If you live in a city, you’ve likely noticed food delivery robots traveling on sidewalks to complete deliveries.

Small, self-driving robots are showing up more and more in cities, and they’re quickly becoming a popular way to deliver things on campuses and in business areas instead of using human drivers.

I heard something crazy! Apparently, one city in the UK is really hesitant about using these robots now. It turns out one of them almost ran into a local politician’s dog, which understandably made everyone a bit wary!

UK city council up in arms after delivery bot nearly runs over dog

Last month, the food delivery company JustEat began a trial run in Bristol, using robots to deliver food along Gloucester Road to see how well the system worked.

Oh my gosh, you won’t believe this! One of the robots almost ran over Councilwoman Edwards’ tiny dog, Flora! Apparently, it was a really close call – Flora barely got out of the way. It was so scary!

During a city council meeting on March 10th, it came to light that Bristol City Council didn’t know JustEat was testing delivery robots in the city. Currently, Bristol has no rules in place to govern these types of robots.

Councilor Ed Plowden shared that a dog named Emma’s almost got hit by one of these vehicles recently. Because the dog is small, the company might need to make some adjustments. However, he also raised a bigger concern: this company is putting Bristol residents at risk with their technology.

JustEat insists they checked for safety issues before starting the trial and states the city council never raised any concerns with them.

We’re committed to supporting communities throughout the UK, like Bristol, by helping local restaurants attract new customers and expand their businesses. We also prioritize safety and work closely with local councils to operate responsibly, as stated in a recent announcement.

We’re testing small delivery robots in Bristol with the help of a robotics expert. Like any city with these devices, we’ve carefully planned and assessed potential risks to make sure they operate safely. We’ll keep listening to feedback from people in the community during the trial.

This incident adds to growing worries about delivery robots, following a case earlier this year where one was hit by a train in Florida after it halted on the train tracks.

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2026-03-17 22:48