Domino's to trial pizza delivery robot

Takeaway delivery drivers could be the latest profession to be made obsolete by robots, if Domino's Pizza has its way.

The global pizza chain announced on Friday it had teamed up with the New Zealand government to licence and test an autonomous pizza delivery unit, named 'DRU'.

Domino's said the unit was three feet tall and battery powered, contained a heated compartment capable of carrying 10 pizzas, and could travel up to 12½ miles from an outlet to deliver to customers.

Customers would be given a code to unlock the pizza compartment once it arrived, to prevent hungry thieves from intercepting the goods en route. Once the delivery was complete, DRU would return to the store to recharge.

"DRU is cheeky and endearing and we are confident that one day he will become an integral part of the Domino's family," Domino's New Zealand general manager Scott Bush said.

"He's a road to the future and one that we are very excited about exploring further," Bush added.

New Zealand's transport minister Simon Bridges MP said supporting new technologies and encouraging innovation was a priority for the government.

“This is an exciting opportunity for New Zealand. DRU is an early prototype, but the fact that New Zealand is being considered as a test site shows we have the right settings to attract innovation,” he explained.

“If successful, this driverless vehicle trial could open the door to many more commercial opportunities."