Pioneering tech company Foodhub has put the wheels in motion to integrate its online food delivery app in self-driving cars within the next three to five years, the company’s CEO has revealed.
Ardian Mula has placed his UK-based firm at the forefront of the innovation, putting significant resources into developing the new technology, following recent regulation changes to the Highway Code that open new doors for tech companies.
From 2025, self-driving motorists will be permitted to use built-in screens to watch movies and television, or check email, while travelling at slow speeds.
Ardian Mula, Foodhub’s ultra-ambitious CEO, sees this as a golden opportunity to take his already thriving business to the next level – by integrating the Foodhub app within the onboard technology of self-driving vehicles. And Mr Mula has ensured that when the time comes, his company, which specialises in online food delivery, will be way ahead of the game, after committing significant time, effort, and money into developing the technology.
He says the app, when used inside a car, would work through voice command by searching for nearby takeaways using GPS. A map would then appear on screen, Mr Mula says, showing the relevant choices based on location, along with key information like ratings and food type.
Menu options would then appear on a scrolling screen with images and a description, or even a short video for easy access while driving. Once the driver has made their choice, they would be able to use autopay and the app would move to a tracker.
Additionally, the app would allow for an auto pause and order reload feature, so that users can restart their order where they left off if they have to take control of their car at any point. In practice, this will mean motorists can place their food order on the road and arrive home to find their meal of choice waiting for them.
Ardian Mula said: “It is an extremely innovative time for the industry, and integration of the Foodhub app within self-driving vehicles is part of what makes the next few years so exciting.
“I’m pleased to say that we are at the forefront of the industry when it comes to developing this type of tech, having already placed resources into moving it forward, putting us in a position to capitalise when the time is right. We foresee a time in the not-too-distant future when self-driving vehicles from Tesla to Toyota will have onboard access to the Foodhub app, providing them with an impeccable food delivery service from the comfort of their car seat.
“That will mean people can order on the road while on their way back from work, or towards the end of a long journey, and arrive home to find their favourite curry, pizza or kebab waiting on their doorstep for them. While the innovation clearly benefits the consumer, providing them with an entirely new way of ordering, we also foresee restaurants and takeaways seeing an increase in sales, especially as self-driving vehicle ownership increases.”
Mr Mula says that many of the 20,000 plus restaurants and takeaways currently partnered with his Stoke-on-Trent-based firm could have access to the new tech within just three to five years.
