- A Coco food delivery robot got stuck on Miami train tracks for 15 minutes before being hit by a train
- The incident was filmed by Guillermo Dapelo, who was walking his dogs nearby around 8 pm
- Coco stated the robot had a rare hardware failure and emphasized their safety protocols and monitoring
A dramatic video showing a food delivery robot being demolished by a Brightline train has gone viral on social media. The incident took place on Thursday (Jan 15) after the robot, operated by Coco, got stuck on the train tracks. Guillermo Dapelo, who filmed the incident on his camera, said the robot had been stuck on the track for 15 minutes before the train crushed it.
"I was walking my dogs around 8 pm and that's when I saw the food car standing on the train tracks," Dapelo was quoted as saying by Fox 13 Tampa Bay.
Dapelo added that an Uber Eats delivery executive called the company and informed it about the robot's whereabouts, but before any action could be taken, the train came barreling through.
“We are aware of the incident in Miami where a Coco robot experienced a rare hardware failure while crossing railroad tracks. Safety is always our top priority, which is why our robots operate at pedestrian speeds, yield to people, and are monitored in real time by human safety pilots," the company said in a statement.
"While all hardware can experience unexpected failures from time to time, in this case, we're grateful it was a Coco robot and not a vehicle. We're reviewing the situation carefully to ensure it doesn't happen again.”
Food delivery robots have become more common across South Florida, especially in Fort Lauderdale, Brickell, downtown Miami and Miami Beach, but Thursday's incident has once again highlighted growing concerns over the technology.
Check The Viral Clip Here:
Waymo Robotaxi Stuck
Earlier this month, another video showed a Waymo passenger jumping out of the self-driving car if it stopped on the rail tracks in the path of an oncoming train in Phoenix, Arizona. The incident happened in an area where there was ongoing construction work. Additionally, the light rail had only been added within the last year, which could have confused the vehicle's operating system.
Valley Metro, which operates regional transit in the Phoenix area, confirmed the incident, adding that the control centre was immediately notified about the rogue car.
“At approximately 9 am on Wednesday morning, a Valley Metro employee observed an autonomous Waymo vehicle on the northbound light rail tracks near Southern Avenue and Central Avenue in Phoenix,” the company said in a statement.
