Delivery robots: a revolutionary step or sidewalk-clogging nightmare?

They've been called the 'only sane solution' for urban deliveries and are already being tested, but are pedestrians prepared to jostle for space?

Sharing a sidewalk with one of DoorDash's delivery robots is a bit like getting stuck behind someone playing Poki(C)mon Go on his smartphone. The robot moves a little bit slower than you want to; every few meters it pauses, jerking to the left or right, perhaps turning around, then turning again before continuing on its way.

These are the sidewalks of the future, technology evangelists promise. Autonomous delivery robots, once the exclusive purview of 1980s sci-fi movies, are coming to a city near you, with promises of reduced labor costs, increased efficiency and the reduction of cars.