Ribeirão Preto, September 29, 2021 – iFood, in partnership with Shopping Iguatemi Ribeirão Preto, began testing its autonomous robot, called ADA, on September 9th. The initiative is complementary to foodtech modalities, and represents another novelty in the application of artificial intelligence to the food delivery ecosystem.
At this point, ADA is open from 11am to 5pm and will collect orders from the upper floor of the mall. Upon receiving the signal from the application, the robot follows its route autonomously to the indicated restaurant and, after collecting the order, goes to a courier who, in turn, will pick up the order, taking it to the iFood hub – strategically located space to facilitate the distribution of the order to the delivery person who will then deliver it to the customer.
The opening of the ADA for placing and withdrawing the order is done only by authorized people and works using QR Code technology.
“ADA offers even more agility in deliveries, mainly by reducing the waiting time for delivery people in large shopping centers, such as Shopping Iguatemi Ribeirão, providing a new experience for restaurants, consumers and delivery partners”, says Fernando Martins, head of innovation, relationships and logistics at iFood.
“We are very excited about the start of testing and we are sure it will be a success. We needed an autonomous vehicle capable of not only transporting a large amount of weight, but also different volumes of packaging, as well as a structure that would keep the food in thermal insulation. It is worth mentioning that ADA also has a set of medium intensity UVC lamps, located on the vehicle lid, which aims to inactivate any type of microorganisms, including SARS-CoV-2, present in the material transported within a few seconds of exhibition. ADA was developed especially for iFood’s needs”, he adds.
Innovation in deliveries
ADA is a project developed in partnership with Synkar, a Brazilian company specialized in artificial intelligence. Autonomous vehicle, 100% electric and environmentally friendly, has the capacity to transport up to 30kg and an autonomy of 12 hours of work.
“ADA is a new step in technology to contribute and facilitate delivery logistics, bringing more practicality and security to our customers. And being the first shopping center to be part of this innovative project is a source of great pride”, says Felipe Barbosa, general manager of Shopping Iguatemi Ribeirão Preto.
About iFood
iFood, a reference in online food delivery in Latin America, has 60 million monthly orders. Having been on the market for ten years, the Brazilian company is also present in Colombia. It works together with partners with initiatives that bring together business intelligence and management solutions for the approximately 270 thousand restaurants registered in more than a thousand cities throughout Brazil. iFood has important investors, such as Movile, a global leader in mobile marketplaces, and Just Eat, one of the largest online ordering companies in the world.
Press information: press@ifood.com.br
About Shopping Iguatemi Ribeirão Preto
The Iguatemi Ribeirão Preto Shopping Center brought a new concept of shopping and entertainment to the region. The development, which belongs to Iguatemi Empresa de Shopping Centers and has the brand's excellence in its DNA, was designed to be much more than a shopping center and offers diverse options for leisure, culture, services and gastronomy.
The architectural design has natural light as one of its main differences, with large skylights that enhance the entry of light, offering a pleasant environment, prepared to provoke great experiences. Around 200 operations make up its complete mix of stores, with new options in the city, as well as major local, national and international brands.