Hoboken starts a 12-month pilot for sidewalk delivery robots

In short: Hoboken has started a one-year trial of 20 small delivery robots, with strict rules and a limited test zone.

What happened

Hoboken is testing small, self-driving delivery robots from Coco Robotics and Avride. They carry food and other small orders on sidewalks and sometimes in bike lanes.

The Hoboken City Council approved rules for these “personal delivery devices” in August 2026. A 12-month pilot began on September 3 with 20 robots total, 10 from each company, and it is limited to a small area in the city’s First Ward. The city says any increase in the number of robots, or expansion to other areas, needs city approval.

This comes after a larger rollout in nearby Jersey City. Robot deliveries started there in February 2025 and expanded beyond downtown. By August 2025, Avride said its service area included Journal Square and McGinley Square, with at least 100 restaurants available for robot delivery.

Why it matters

Hoboken is moving cautiously because there are real safety and privacy concerns, not just general worry about artificial intelligence. The city says the robots average about 2 mph and can go up to 6 mph, and they are supposed to slow down or stop around people. The rules also require permits, liability insurance, incident reporting, and data sharing.

Residents and advocates have raised questions about crowded sidewalks, camera use, and what robot delivery means for human delivery workers. The robots use cameras and other sensors to navigate, like a person looking around to avoid bumping into others. Hoboken says the system includes safeguards, such as blurring faces and license plates.

Source: NYTimes