Australia has been hesitant – but could robots soon be delivering your pizza?

While there have been concerns over the safety and legal status of the technology, working models from local startups are showing its benefits

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Robots zipping down footpaths may sound futuristic, but they are increasingly being put to work making deliveries around the world - though a legal minefield and cautious approach to new tech means they are largely absent in Australia.

Retail and food businesses have been using robots for a variety of reasons, with hazard detection robots popping up in certain Woolworths stores and virtual waiters taking dishes from kitchens in understaffed restaurants to hungry diners in recent years.