Tag: dominos

A Self-Driving Ford Fusion Will Now Deliver Domino’s

Ford and Domino’s are teaming up to test autonomous vehicles for pizza deliveries in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States in order to understand how everyday customers will react to, and interact with the autonomous service vehicles in the future. However, the Ford Fusion Hybrid research vehicle (outfitted with a pizza container) used during the experiment will be driven by a safety engineer along with other researchers.

The self driving Ford Fusion will randomly be made available to the selected Domino’s customers who will then have an option to accept deliveries from a self-driving pizza delivery car. With no driver involved, the customer will need to to unlock their pizza containers by typing their unique delivery code. The Heatwave Compartment unlocking code will be sent to the customer. This code will match the last four digits of the customer’s phone number. Those who opt for the service can track their order via Domino’s app. Rest of the order info will be communicated through screens and speakers on the exterior of the cars.

Sherif Marakby, Vice President of Ford Autonomous Vehicles and Electrification said “We will be looking at how customers respond to this new experience, which will require them to interact with the self-driving car instead of a delivery person—walking out to the vehicle instead of just walking to answer their front door,” He also described the project as ethnographic research in an interview

Ford is using this real-time trial to test its new project and develop the consumer aspect of autonomous driving technology. The company hopes to commercialise the experiment in a few years’ time.

Domino’s has also been experimenting with the idea of autonomous vehicles for sometime. The company has already tested pizza delivering robots in Australia and in Germany. Though the delivery robot trials were in partnership with smaller robotics startups, whereas the latest trial involves a more traditional car-maker.

Sherif Marakby said “The human aspect is the most significant piece here. We know we can create technology, but it has to be based on the human element of how we’re using the AVs,” and “We believe self-driving technology can play a significant role in helping grow the market for restaurant delivery, serving as one way that we’ll build demand and scale for our autonomous vehicle business, in addition to people movement such as ride hailing,”

The current experiment hopes to gain insight on various factors like, willingness of a consumer to come outside to pick up their orders, the way they approach the car, and the manner in which they interact with the screen placed on the exterior of the vehicle.

Ford, like many other carmakers, has invested heavily in autonomous technology and hopes to introduce its self-driving cars in market by 2021.

August 30, 2017
Dominos Just made a Pizza Delivery Robot

With a large number of pizzas delivered each day, one would think dominos would scale up technology to make the production of Pizzas more efficient, not deliveries. It looks like the future is filled with drones and Robots. The new robot known as DRU (Domino’s Robotic Unit) can travel at about 12 mph and can easily handle varied terrain though it’s not designed for major road use.

Think of deliveries happening in remote areas. The Pizza remains safe and hot and is only unlocked by a special mobile code sent to the recipient of the order. Wath the demo video below.

DRU uses a LIDAR sensory system that allows the unit to detect obstacles in its path and change its route accordingly. It measures objects and distance by illuminating them with a laser light. Each unit also comes equipped with traditional sensors that detect obstructions at close range, just like a robot vacuum cleaner.

It weighs approximately 190kg and has a maximum height of 1185mm (922mm with the compartment closed.) The body is constructed of ABS and urethane plastics, the lenses are made using PMMA (acrylic) plastics and the internal chassis is finished using aluminium and mild steel. It is water tight and weather proof.

March 19, 2016
Domino’s Launches New Delivery Car With a Built-in Oven

Who doesn’t love pizza right? Thin crust, thick crust, cheese burst and deep dish, we’re all fans. So when avid pizza lovers hear ‘Domino’s’, you most often than not get squeamish responses. An experienced pizza fan would think of Domino’s as the last option because it seems to have lost its A game. This little experiment however, will make you take notice of this old pizza chain.

Domino’s has tried innovative ways to try and get their customers to order pizza. From ordering with the help of a pizza emoji, to even a Siri-like assistant helping you out in their mobile app. They’ve done it all. However, they just went a step further recently, and announced their very own Domino’s Delivery car!

Fondly and officially called the DXP (Domino’s Delivery Expert), it is a custom made car to keep your pizza warm and fresh (Because plastic boxes at the back of motorcycles weren’t good enough.) And if you’re already perplexed by the fact that Domino’s would actually make their own car for just one purpose, it’ll be even more perplexing to know that this project took 3 years to come through, from conception to completion. 3 years. We wonder how many pizzas went cold and delivered till then.

We don’t want to drown with our sarcasm any further, but the DXP is actually designed for long distance deliveries where the food might get lukewarm while unpacking or in transit. This way they can assure the customer that the food will be delivered piping hot. So not such a bad idea right?

The DXP is essentially a Chevrolet Spark with just one seat that is the driver’s. It has storage areas located both in the front and the back along with proper compartments to keep the items still and not moving with all the bumps the car might hit. The fanciest feature, however, is a warming oven placed right behind the drivers seat that fulfils the motive of keep all the food hot and fresh.

The DXP has the capacity to accommodate up to 80 pizzas, along with Domino’s other menu items including salads, wings and 2-liter bottles of soda, according to sources. Basically, it has enough storage to feed a business meeting or a school event or even a largish house party.

Video footage of the car, courtesy of MLive, can be seen below.

Russell Weiner, president of Domino’s USA, stated:

“The Domino’s DXP is the first purpose-built vehicle aimed at revolutionizing pizza delivery,” This innovation allows drivers to do their jobs with greater ease and efficiency, and demonstrates that Domino’s is absolutely fanatical about making perfect deliveries.”

What are other pizza places going to do without this baffling, over efficient, heat inducing, invention? Only time will tell. But it’s safe to say that we in India will still receive hot pizza regardless of a car, on a motorcycle, in 30 minutes. Or free.

The DXP will begin rolling out in select markets over the next three months and no, India isn’t on the list as of now. The first cities to make use of the DXP are Boston, Dallas, Detroit, Houston, New Orleans, Indianapolis, San Diego, and Seattle.

Do you feel like you’re really missing out though? Let us know in the comments below.

October 24, 2015