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Regulating sidewalk delivery robots as a disruptive new urban technology

Bibliographic Data

ID11670590
AuthorsMateja Kovacic (0000-0002-3034-8548, Hong Kong Baptist University), Simon Marvin (0000-0001-5538-5102, The Urban Institute, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK, corresponding author), Aidan While (0000-0002-3468-9489, University of Sheffield)
Year2023
Volume45
Issue7
Pages1236-1255
Publication date2023-11-07
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueUrban Geography (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0272-3638 • E-ISSN: 1938-2847
PublisherTaylor & Francis (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/02723638.2023.2275426
OpenAlexW4388453778
LanguageEN
Citations received9
References cited23

Sidewalk delivery robots are increasingly being deployed in diverse urban contexts, raising issues about the most appropriate form of regulation to maintain pedestrian flows and protect the public. This paper examines the evolution of sidewalk robot governance in a "hot spot" of urban robotic application in the State of California (USA), where different municipal authorities have experimented with prohibitive, permissive and collaborative forms of sidewalk re-regulation in response to the various potential disruptions and risks associated with the new technology. Combining detailed policy analysis and interviews, the paper takes forward literature on the regulatory challenges and opportunities in making space for urban robotics as a disruptive technology

Architectural engineering · Business · Disruptive technology · Economic geography · Geography · Robot · Sociology · Computer Science · Digital Economy and Work Transformation · Engineering · Smart Cities and Technologies · Transportation and Mobility Innovations · Artificial Intelligence

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Unique citing works9
Citations per year9
Citation span2025 - 2026 (2)
Citation velocitycurrent
Highly citedNo
Citation typesNeutral: 7

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