Peyk, a London-based peer-to-peer delivery start-up, has begun trialling autonomous robot deliveries on the streets of Qatar, with the aim of one day bringing convenient and carbon free deliveries to the UK capital.

The first set of ‘peykBots’ have been deployed in the streets of Msheirb – a sustainable and technological friendly town designed to showcase new technologies and carbon free innovations – ahead of Qatar hosting the FIFA World Cup.

The robots use a series of sensors and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to automatically detect authorised side roads and pavements to drive on.

Customers can also live-track their robot orders via the Peyk app, receiving live updates and notifications that track their parcel’s journey and, if any issues arise then these are handled by a 24/7 customer and driver support centre.

With temperatures in Qatar hitting as high as 50 degrees Celsius, robotic deliveries could become a success in summer seasons, according to the start-up.

“Peer-to-peer couriers are widely used across Asia and the Middle East, when sending things to friends and family. Peyk is now bringing a similar service to the market, revolutionising it with platform simplicity and smart city sustainable autonomous robots,” explained Salman Moghimi, Peyk founder and CEO.

Moghimi was inspired to launch the start-up in September 2018 after his own experience of trying to quickly send a package across London. The effects of Brexit and Covid resulted in the delivery firm expanding services to autonomous delivery robots as a way to prevent service shortages, in the case of a reduction in drivers.

Furthermore, to deal with the expansion of London’s ultra low emission zone, Peyk designed a robot that can use its AI to deliver parcels emission free.

“Couriers have always existed in the market, but our vision at Peyk is to use technology to impact and leave a change on the way people towards deliveries” added Moghimi.

Thank you to DeliveryX for this release