Global Players Accelerate Market Expansion For Robot Delivery And China And Middle East Are Leading The Way

In the fierce market competition, emerging companies and international giants are all increasing their investments in robodelivery.

The growth curve of Rino.ai robodelivery vehicles is particularly steep: at the end of 2023, there were only 100 active vehicles, increasing to 200 in the first quarter of 2025, jumping to 500 in the second quarter, and exceeding 2,000 by December, achieving regular operation in over 170 cities worldwide, with business scale growing by more than 20 times in two years.

The USD100 million annual financing will be mainly used for technology R&D and mass production capacity building, driving its transformation from a regional player to a global participant.

The rising star MINIEYE also performed remarkably, breaking through 1,000 orders within just three months of entering the unmanned logistics market. It is expected to reach a delivery scale of tens of thousands of units by 2026, with a long-term plan to complete the deployment of 1,000 unmanned vehicles in the Middle East before 2030.

In the international arena, Serve Robotics of the United States has already deployed 1,000 of its third-generation autonomous sidewalk delivery robots by 2025; Coco Robotics has set an ambitious goal of operating 10,000 robots by the end of 2026; and Starship Technologies is aiming to expand its delivery robot fleet to over 12,000 units by 2027.

The Middle East Market Becomes a New Battleground

The biggest change in the market landscape is the rapid emergence of the Middle East. Thanks to strong government support for intelligent transportation, high-density urban populations, and the demand for delivery services in high temperatures, the Middle East is becoming a “golden market” for autonomous delivery vehicles.

Local governments not only provide policy incentives but also designate special testing areas in cities like Dubai and Riyadh, simplifying approval processes and attracting global companies.

“The acceptance and growth rate of the Middle East market have surprised us,” one industry analyst noted. “Consumers here are highly receptive to new technologies, business scenarios are concentrated, and the efficiency per delivery is higher, resulting in significantly better return on investment than in the European and American markets.”

Meanwhile, the major global autonomous delivery vehicle companies include Neolix, Zelos, Rino.ai, MINIEYE, Serve Robo, Coco Robo, Starship, QCraft, Desay SV, Meituan, JD.com, XingShen Intelligent, Nuro, Rivian, Momenta, EasyMile, Auro Robotics, Udelv, OttoMotors, Local Motors, 2getthere, Robby Technologies, Cleveron, ZMP, Kiwibot, Cartken, WeRide, Unity-Drive Innovation, LionsBot, and UISEE.