Delivery robots can now operate in Ohio – as long as they stay on sidewalks and crosswalks

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With the swipe of his pen, Governor John Kasich opened up Ohio to delivery robots, reports April Glaser for Recode.net.

According to Ms. Glaser:

Ohio is now the fifth U.S. state to pass a law permitting the use of delivery robots on sidewalks and in crosswalks statewide.

Republican Governor John Kasich signed off on the state’s budget on Friday, which included a provision that permits the use of unmanned sidewalk delivery robots.

The legislation signed by Governor Kasich arrived in Ohio by way of a little-known foreign technology company.

The Ohio statute comes less than a week after Florida became the fourth state in the country to create a similar law. Wisconsin, Idaho and Virginia likewise passed state legislation to allow for the use of delivery robots earlier this year – all with the help of Starship Technologies.

Starship makes a delivery robot designed to ferry food or items ordered online straight to customers’ doorsteps. The Estonian startup ... has sent lobbyists to help champion and pass all five state proposals.

But that doesn’t mean Starship is ready to bring their robots to the Buckeye State.

The robot delivery company isn’t currently operating in any of the states where it has worked to pass the robot laws. Nor has it shared concrete details on plans to start in any of the five states ...

Although delivery robots may now be legal, they don't have free rein over our streets. They have to follow the rules of the road, just like the rest of us.

As Ms. Glaser writes:

Ohio’s new robot law allows for the machines to operate on sidewalks and in crosswalks in the state, so long as they weigh less than 90 pounds and travel at speeds of less than 10 miles per hour. The robots can rove unmanned, but a person is required to be in the loop remotely to take over operation in case something goes awry.

So, if you notice any little robots moseying around The Glen, there's no reason to be alarmed. It's just progress.

But do drop us a note and tell us what you saw.

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Full Recode.net story here.

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