Gov. Walker signs bill allowing robot deliveries in Wisconsin

MADISON — Wisconsin residents could soon see robot delivery vehicles roaming the state's sidewalks.

Gov. Scott Walker signed a bill Wednesday, June 21st that allows robot delivery vehicles to operate on sidewalks and in crosswalks.

The robots are essentially high-tech rolling coolers loaded with sensors that can read the environment. People also can operate them remotely. Starship Technologies has been using them to deliver takeout food in Europe, California and Washington, D.C.

The bill Walker signed sets an 80-pound weight limit on the robots and imposes a 10-mph speed limit. The measure also requires operators to control or monitor the devices.