Can Public Mobile Robots Benefit Local Canadian Communities?
This November 2022 report provides a subject overview for Canadian municipal officials. It also contains guidance based on the jurisdictional experience and emerging best practices on how best to regulate and manage these devices. It was submitted to the Economic Developers Council of Ontario for the 2022 Bright Ideas Competition.
Issue Background:
In December 2021, Toronto City Council chose to temporarily prohibit the use of “automated micro-utility devices” operated by Canadian robotics company Tiny Mile. Local businesses were using these robots to deliver food orders. However, disability advocates, in particular, were opposed to their continued use because of the perceived disruption to sidewalk traffic. Whether we like it or not, this event signaled the coming introduction of these devices in Canada. Simply put, robots are coming to communities across Canada. It is just a matter of time.
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What is the Bright Ideas Competition?
The Bright Ideas Competition is an annual idea competition for economic development practitioners of all experience levels. It is designed to give economic developers from across Ontario the opportunity to develop a modern response to proposed topics, have the research work evaluated and receive five professional accreditation points towards an Certified Economic Developer (Ec.D.) designation. www.edco.on.ca
Other Municipal Robots Resources:
Urban Robotics Foundation
The Urban Robotics Foundation brings together accessibility, logistics, municipal, planning, and robotics experts to create international standards, guidelines, and certification methods to ensure that robotic passenger and goods systems are safe, managed, and contribute to improved livability for cities and their people.
Currently, they are developing the ISO 4448 series, a standard for the operation of automated motor vehicles (robotaxis) at the curbside and Public Mobile Robots (PMRs) – such as delivery robots – within pedestrianized spaces. Based in Toronto, Canada.
Transport Canada, Surface Robotics Final Report, March 2022
Transport Canada engaged the Institute on Governance (IOG) to study surface robotics, that is, small vehicles that operate with some degree of autonomy on sidewalks in uncontrolled settings. This is contrasted with similar robots that operate in controlled environments such as warehouses or farm fields.
Knight Foundation Report
Piloting sidewalk delivery robots in Pittsburgh, Miami-Dade County, Detroit and San Jose: Knight Autonomous Vehicle Initiative, September 2022
The Knight Autonomous Vehicle (AV) Initiative is a multi-year collaborative effort between the Urbanism Next Center at the University of Oregon, Cityfi, the cities of Detroit, Pittsburgh, and San José, and Miami-Dade County (the “cohort”) to pilot and learn about automated mobility technologies today to shape the future of deployment tomorrow.
