Starting off 2021 with a bang, TapRm – a new-age beer distribution platform based in New York City that helps supercharge the growth and consumer awareness for innovative brands – became the first online beer platform in the U.S. to pilot a program of autonomous delivery with the use of robots. TapRm tested deliveries using wheeled robots with a suite of sensors for autonomous operation, in partnership with Axlehire and former incubator engineers from Google Area 120. The robot can carry up to 50 pounds (up to 36 beers), ideal for beer delivery to bars, restaurants and consumners, and travels on sidewalks at a maximum speed of 4.5 miles per hour.

“As a result of the increased demand for contactless delivery during the COVID-19 pandemic, we were looking to pilot autonomous last mile technology in the alcohol space as quickly as possible,” said TapRm’s CEO, Jason Sherman. “While the robots are still being perfected, this will enable superior experiences and reduced delivery costs for our customers over the long-run.”

The pilot successfully delivered TapRm’s beers to approximately 10 consumers around Brooklyn over a 3-day period. TapRm’s platform currently offers same-day delivery of over 450 beers from their 110 brand partners around New York City.