If you live in even a slightly urban area, you've likely seen these little robots. They've been "employed" by a number of companies to deliver food to hungry customers nationwide. Rolling along the street, sometimes getting in people's ways. They've caused quite a stir at the best of times, but I think we can all agree that this was a little rash...
A delivery robot has apologised through an ad campaign after it smashed through the glass pane of a bus stop. As reported by People, the robot belonged to Serve Robotics.
The strange smashing incident happened in Chicago last month when a bot named Nasir ploughed straight into a Chicago Transit Authority bus stop. In a manner similar to the average pigeon, it didn't detect the glass. But, rather than just getting a nasty bump, it shattered the pane, getting glass everywhere.
Not ideal, especially if you're trying to wait for the bus. Well, a Serve Robotics spokesperson explained to a local outlet to try and fix the problem. They said that they'd talk to stakeholders about reviewing the robots' code to make sure this doesn't happen again.
Serve Robotics also paid for the cleanup and repair costs.
Videos by Wide Open Country
Serve Robotics Made a Strange Advertisement So the Robot Could Say "Sorry"
But, strangely enough, the company made an advertisement to allow the bot to "take accountability". And the funniest part? It was at the exact same bus stop where the robot had caused all that damage!
"Nasir is sorry", the advert began. "Dear West Town neighbors. I took 'breaking into the market' too literally. I'm really sorry about the bus stop... and the dramatic entrance. I promise to do better."
Pretty funny stuff, right? Serve Robotics thought so - but they didn't want to understate the fact it was meant to serve as an actual apology. A company spokesperson explained the reasons behind the advertisement choice to the outlet.
They said that the ad served to "apologize directly to our West Town neighbors, own the mistake, and share Serve's commitment to continuously improving our technology."
While these robots are certainly divisive, one thing remains true - they can be quite funny.
