Serve Gen 3
Serve Robotics · #1 in Delivery
Autonomous sidewalk food delivery for restaurant platforms in dense US urban markets
The Cartken Courier is the compact indoor-outdoor delivery robot behind Uber Eats' sidewalk deliveries in Tokyo, operated in partnership with Mitsubishi Electric. Built by Oakland-based Cartken — founded by ex-Google engineers — the Courier carries 20 kg in an insulated 27-liter bin, runs 13+ hours, and crosses seamlessly between sidewalks, tile and carpet. Cartken has since expanded the same platform into industrial logistics with its larger Hauler and Mover models.
- First delivery robot in Japan authorized for autonomous driving on public roads at night [source]
- Runs Uber Eats deliveries in Tokyo with Mitsubishi Electric supervising operations [source]
- Mitsubishi Electric group company Melco Mobility Solutions ordered nearly 100 Cartken Hauler robots for industrial sites in 2025 [source]
Specifications
| Specification | Value | Confidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Max payload | 20 kg | verified | cartken.com (2026-09-01) |
| Runtime | 13+ h | verified | cartken.com (2026-09-01) |
| Footprint | 33 x 20 x 24 in | verified | cartken.com (2026-09-01) |
| Insulated cargo bin | 27 L | reported | techcrunch.com (2026-09-01) |
| Speed (Tokyo service) | ~3.3 mph | reported | techcrunch.com (2026-09-01) |
Every spec is cited to its source with a retrieval date. verified = manufacturer-published · reported = reputable press/analyst. Verify with the manufacturer before purchase decisions.
Change timeline
- milestone Melco Mobility Solutions (Mitsubishi Electric group) orders nearly 100 Cartken Hauler robots [source]
- launch Uber Eats robot deliveries go live in Tokyo — Cartken's first Japan service [source]
- announcement Uber, Mitsubishi Electric and Cartken announce robot delivery service for Japan [source]
Our take
Cartken is the quiet operator of the group: modest funding ($22.5M) but blue-chip partners — Uber Eats, Mitsubishi Electric, Magna, Rakuten, Novo Nordisk — and a regulatory first in Japan's tightly controlled streets. Its pivot toward industrial and intralogistics work (nearly 100 Haulers ordered by a Mitsubishi group company) suggests the food-delivery Courier is now the entry product rather than the endgame. A strong pick for campus and mixed indoor-outdoor environments rather than city-scale consumer delivery.
Best suited for
- Uber Eats sidewalk delivery in Tokyo
- Campus and corporate food delivery (university dining, offices)
- Indoor-outdoor materials transport at industrial and pharma sites
Cartken Courier: common questions
What is the Cartken Courier?
It is a six-wheeled, cooler-sized autonomous delivery robot (formerly called Model C) from US startup Cartken. It carries up to 20 kg in a 27-liter insulated bin and handles both sidewalks and indoor floors.
Where does the Cartken Courier operate?
Most visibly in Tokyo, where it has delivered Uber Eats orders since March 2024 under Mitsubishi Electric's supervision. Cartken robots also serve campuses and industrial facilities with partners like Rakuten and Novo Nordisk.
Can businesses buy Cartken robots?
Yes — unlike most rivals, Cartken supplies robots to business customers (a Mitsubishi Electric group company ordered nearly 100 of its Hauler robots in 2025). Pricing is not public; contracts are quote-based.
How fast is the Cartken Courier?
In the Tokyo Uber Eats service it travels at about 3.3 mph (5.4 km/h), a deliberate walking pace suited to Japan's sidewalk regulations.
Cartken Courier vs Starship — what's the difference?
Both are small sidewalk robots with similar payloads, but Starship runs its own consumer delivery network at massive scale, while Cartken partners B2B (Uber Eats/Mitsubishi in Japan) and sells robots for indoor-outdoor industrial use.
Sources
- Cartken — cartken.com, retrieved 2026-09-01
- TechCrunch — techcrunch.com, retrieved 2026-09-01
- Cartken — cartken.com, retrieved 2026-09-01
- Tracxn — tracxn.com, retrieved 2026-09-01
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