The new regulations<\/a> are intended to give San Jose more control over the rollout of the rapidly expanding autonomous delivery industry. Prior to Tuesday\u2019s vote, the city had no codified rules governing delivery robots, despite the fact they have been operating in the city\u2019s downtown since April.<\/p>\n The two companies operating in San Jose \u2014 Coco Robotics and Serve Robotics \u2014 have 35 bots between them, officials said.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, officials also said DoorDash<\/a>, a giant in the food delivery sector, has expressed interest in deploying its own delivery robot. Known as Dot, the device stands nearly 5 feet tall and is designed to travel at rates of up to 20 miles per hour in bikeways.<\/p>\n Following Tuesday\u2019s vote, industry representatives applauded the decision, lauding the new program as an opportunity to support local commerce and drive innovation.<\/p>\n \u201cAt Serve, we don\u2019t take the privilege of operating on the city\u2019s sidewalks for granted,\u201d Vignesh Ram, Serve Robotics\u2019 vice president of public policy, told San Jos\u00e9 Spotlight. \u201cFrom San Pedro Square to Willow Glen, we know that trust must be earned through safe operations, responsiveness and being a good neighbor.\u201d<\/p>\n The new regulations would require operators of the smaller robots to obtain a $200 annual permit for each device.<\/p>\n Among the rules imposed under the new permitting program, all devices traveling on sidewalks, pedestrian pathways and crosswalks will be subject to a 5 mph speed limit. In addition, smaller devices will need to equip visibility flags, and companies will be responsible for removing devices that freeze up and block public areas within 30 minutes.<\/p>\n The pilot program covering larger, faster delivery robots also imposes an annual permit requirement with a charge of $250 per device. The rules for such devices include a requirement that delivery robots match the speed of slower cyclists traveling ahead of them, and yield to faster cyclists approaching from behind.<\/p>\n Following a nine-month evaluation period, staff will make recommendations to councilmembers about the program\u2019s future.<\/p>\n Companies that violate the rules could face fines or even see their permits revoked. Such fines will increase with each violation, with a first offense costing $100, a second offense costing $200 and a third offense costing $500.<\/p>\n Foley expressed doubts about the fine scheme, warning that if the city is too lenient it may fail to deter activity that poses serious harms to residents with disabilities.<\/p>\n \u201cIf someone is in a wheelchair or using a cane, and they can\u2019t walk down the curb because it\u2019s being blocked by one of these devices, that\u2019s going to affect them a lot more than $100 for the first offense,\u201d Foley said. \u201cSo I have real concerns.\u201d<\/p>\n For the time being, the regulations do not place a specific limit on the number of delivery bots allowed to operate. And while robots\u2019 service area in San Jose has so far remained within the downtown core, the new regulations include no geographic limits on their operations. In Chicago, Illinois, a deployment error<\/a> caused a Coco robot pileup on the sidewalk.<\/p>\n However, should problems arise, the package grants San Jose\u2019s Department of Transportation the authority to revise the program\u2019s rules, including setting new operational restrictions or terminating it entirely.<\/p>\n Officials estimate the program will likely see 70 smaller robots and 30 larger devices enter operation in the city.<\/p>\n
![\"In-line](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/1791561251_600_interactive-321838904008.png\")
<\/a><\/p>\n