ATLANTA — If you live or commute in and around Atlanta, you don’t go a day without seeing the little boxes on wheels with big light-up eyes shuffling down the sidewalk or timidly crossing an intersection.
The small delivery robots with names like Colin or Nancy roam Atlanta’s sidewalks delivering food to in-town customers.
But State Rep. Todd Jones says his legislation will make them more efficient and safer. He wants to cap speeds for the robots at 7 mph on sidewalks, crosswalks and in intersections.
“We just want to continue to balance the difference between ‘hey, we want convenience for all Georgians’, but at the same time, we want safety for all Georgians,” said Jones.
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In a bike lane, the maximum speed is capped at 20 miles an hour. Companies would also have to make sure the robots always make an audible signal.
“We want to make sure no matter if its approaching or not approaching, that that signal is on,” said Jones. “We also want to make sure it’s getting across the crosswalk, especially on 4-lane and 6-lane highways fast enough so we’re not impeding traffic.”
WSB Radio’s Jonathan O’Brien and Ann Powell contributed to this story.
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