Domino’s is working with a robotics company to trial automated pizza delivery in Houston.

The robotics company, Nuro, has created an unmanned vehicle called R2 for deliveries.

Prior to launching the automated pizza delivery system later in 2019, Domino’s is examining how unmanned pizza delivery will impact customer experiences. The vehicle also needs to undergo extensive testing for its operational capabilities. However, Domino’s aims to introduce the automated delivery service on a larger scale sometime in 2019. Nuro has received significant funding, with investors like Softbank backing them. Additionally, Nuro’s founders previously worked on Google’s Waymo self-driving vehicle project.

This isn’t Domino’s first foray into automated delivery and autonomous vehicles. The pizza chain has conducted three rounds of testing in collaboration with Ford. “From our previous testing, we have observed that many customers are open to the concept of a self-driving vehicle delivering their pizza,” stated Domino’s Executive Vice President Kevin Vasconi. While some customers prefer automated deliveries over conventional driver deliveries, others are less enthusiastic. Ultimately, the choice between the two methods depends on individual preferences, but there is clearly a demand for automated pizza delivery.

The automated delivery service will be accessible to customers who place online orders at participating locations. After placing an order, customers will be able to monitor the delivery process from the Domino’s store to their residence.