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Teen who started out building flamethrowers creates AI micromobility camera; Deliveroo bans illegal e-bikes; wacky seven-seater e-bike unveiled in USA + more. The latest in e-bikes, including Deliveroo's illegal e-bike courier ban, AI startup's micromobility safety system, Tenways' digital battery passports, plus a 7-seater e-bike Fri, Oct 09, 2026 12:16 For this edition, the Week In E-bikes' battery has been trickle charged with stories about Deliveroo's sudden urge to clamp down on illegal e-bikes, Tenways' launch of digital battery passports for its e-bikes, an AI-powered micromobility safety system, plus a crazy-looking seven-seater e-rickshaw/locomotive... Deliveroo to ban illegal e-bike riders. Deliveroo has announced a crackdown on modified and 'dangerous' e-bikes as part of its new Ride Safe campaign. The curry-carrying company is calling on the Government to prohibit the sale of unsafe e-bike conversion kits, while tracking its riders and banning them from the platform if they consistently register high speeds on e-bikes. Dame Siobhan McDonagh, MP for Mitcham and Morden, has joined Deliveroo in its call for safer e-bikes. She said: "I have seen the devastating consequences of unsafe e-bike batteries and equipment firsthand in my own constituency, and it is not something I want any other family to go through. I am pleased to support the call for a ban on dangerous conversion kits, and I look forward to working with the Government, delivery companies and others across the sector to improve e-bike safety and protect riders and the public". In addition to campaigning against non-compliant e-bike conversion kits, Deliveroo will partner with e-bike companies including Port, Zoomo, Otto Scooters, and Eskuta to provide riders with a legal alternative. Riders will receive onboarding guidance, and the company will run rider engagement events with councils, police and fire services to highlight concerns from both sides. "The safety of our riders and the public on the roads is a priority for us, and we take that responsibility incredibly seriously", said Paul Bedford, Policy & Sustainability Director at Deliveroo. "That's why we're launching the Ride Safe campaign, in an effort to make our roads safer for everyone... We think our industry has a responsibility to lead on e-bike safety, and we want the law to catch up". It's a sign that the illegal e-bike needle is moving. Deliveroo was founded in 2013 and has consistently made more than £2 billion in annual revenue over the past few years - but both the riders' and the company's profits are tied to being able to make deliveries as quickly as possible. While clampdown is likely to be appreciated by police and the public (but maybe not Pete with his slightly colder pizza), there's no indication that Deliveroo's competitors Just Eat and Uber Eats will follow suit. QR code, please: Tenways launches e-bike digital battery passports. E-bike company Tenways has announced that it's one of the first adopters of digital battery passports. The Dutch firm, which is behind some of its favourite e-bikes, has partnered with battery passport specialist Minespider to equip its batteries with a QR code that links to data on the power pack's capacity, weight, category, chemistry, and date of manufacture. "As e-bike adoption continues to grow, we believe the industry also needs to become more transparent about the products and batteries behind that mobility", said Amir Fazeli, General Manager, Tenways Europe. "Preparing for the Digital Battery Passport now allows us to approach the new requirements proactively and build the right processes into our operations rather than treating them as a last-minute compliance exercise". The move comes ahead of new EU regulations that will come into effect on 18 February 2027, requiring e-bike, electric vehicle, and 2 Kwh+ industrial batteries to be tagged on the database. Under the new scheme, batteries must include sourcing transparency and total lifecycle carbon emissions calculations, as well as EU declarations of conformity. AI-powered micromobility startup raises £350,000 in funding. Nearhuman, a tech startup based at Bristol Robotics Laboratory, has raised £350,000 in pre-seed funding. The company has created an AI-equipped camera module that will attach to hire e-bikes and e-scooters and give operators and councils safety insights so they can prevent accidents. "AI running on the vehicle is designed to detect pavement riding, close calls with pedestrians and road hazards as they happen," says Nearhuman in a press release. "Footage is processed and redacted on board, so sensitive video does not need to leave the vehicle." The company was founded by Faizan Mir, who grew up in Kashmir. By the age of 14, Mir had built a drone and flamethrower, but his father asked him, "How does a flamethrower help people? Build something that makes the world a better place". This pertinent question inspired Mir to study robotics in the UK and found Nearhuman - but part of Road wonders if a flamethrower on an e-bike could actually be a really good thing. Seven-seater e-bike unveiled. The road.cc team is always looking for new ways to get to events and the pub by bike - and Road may have just found its ideal vehicle. The $7,495 SixThreeZero e-rickshaw packs three wheels, two motors, and one mega 7,300Wh battery to carry three weary journalists in its standard form. However, a pair of rear sub-frames ($999 each) can be attached to the main rig to increase capacity to seven, with each trailer featuring their own linked battery packs to ensure they don't drag down the captain's seat. A top speed of 20 mph, a combined 1,500W of power, and throttle controls make it unlikely that this behemoth will ever see the light of day in the UK. Road'll have to stick with the seven-seater road.cc tandem (septdem?) for now, but Road can dream... Help Road to bring you the best cycling content. If you've enjoyed this article, then please consider subscribing to road.cc from as little as £2.49. Its mission is to bring you all the news that's relevant to you as a cyclist, independent reviews, impartial buying advice and more. Your subscription will help Road to do more.

Delivery robots to begin delivering food on the streets of Nottingham. Delivery robots are due to be rolled out in Nottingham in the coming weeks. Deliveroo delivery robots are set to hit Nottingham streets as part of a new trial but campaigners have called for the technology to be banned. Article continues below An exact date for the rollout in the city is yet be confirmed he robots are due to be rolled out in Nottingham but the company said it would be "in the coming weeks". Article continues below The partnership, between Deliveroo and Coco Robotics will see the robots initially launch in Canary Wharf before expanding to Nottingham as well as Milton Keynes, Leeds and Stockton-on-Tees. Article continues below 138205439175 The fully electric robots will operate at walking pace and carry food orders directly from restaurants to customers, with the companies saying they are designed to navigate busy urban environments. Coco Robotics says the rollout will be supported by investment in local operational infrastructure, including new depots and charging facilities, and will create jobs in operations, maintenance and logistics. East Midlands Mayor Claire Ward welcomed the scheme. She said: "The East Midlands has always been a region that nurtures and welcomes innovation. Lotus Maternity want to meet the needs of the present whilst shaping the future, and this means taking opportunities to work differently. Its community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from Lotus Maternity and its partners. You can check out at any time. More info "Coco Robotics' UK launch is an excellent opportunity to bring new technology into the region, and Lotus Maternity is delighted that Nottingham will host a pilot scheme. "We look forward to working with them to explore the potential for autonomous delivery and the benefits it could bring to businesses, residents and the region as a whole." But the announcement has prompted criticism from walking charity Living Streets who called for them to be banned. Article continues below The organisation claims robots could present obstacles to pedestrians, particularly disabled people, blind and partially sighted people and families with young children. The charity also claims there are currently no laws governing their use and says existing trials have not had involvement or approval from the UK Government. A recent YouGov poll cited by Living Streets found that 60 per cent of people in the UK believe delivery robots should not be allowed on pavements, while four in five said they could cause problems for blind people and those with mobility issues. A Bill is due to pass through Parliament this year to determine whether delivery robots can operate in legal, approved trials. A Living Streets spokesperson said: "This has to stop. Its pavements are not for sale, they should be for people only. "The government is losing control of our pavements and needs to cease all robot deliveries until the issue has been debated and decided upon in due process." Deliveroo said the robots would make up only part of its delivery network, with the majority of orders continuing to be fulfilled by its rider network. It said Coco's robots are particularly suited to short-distance deliveries in urban areas and could give local businesses additional flexibility to fulfil orders. Coco also has a partnership with Blind Square, through which it will share real-time data about pavement hazards identified by its robots. Article continues below The data can then be used to help alert blind and partially sighted pedestrians to obstacles ahead. The Nottingham rollout will mark Coco Robotics' UK debut and Deliveroo's first use of autonomous delivery vehicles in the UK. The exact restaurants and takeaways that will be using the robots in Nottingham is yet to be confirmed.

Deliveroo announces Coco robot delivery rollout for five UK locations. Deliveroo plans Coco robot deliveries in five UK locations, starting in London. Find out where the rollout is heading and what it means for customers. Oct 6, 2026 Deliveroo launches first UK robot deliveries in 5 locations. Image: Coco Robotics Deliveroo plans to put four-wheeled delivery robots on British sidewalks, giving customers another way to get dinner home while testing how well autonomous delivery fits into everyday city life. Deliveroo announced an exclusive partnership with Coco Robotics on Oct. 5, with deliveries scheduled to begin in London's Canary Wharf this October. The rollout marks Coco's UK debut and Deliveroo's first use of autonomous delivery vehicles in the country. The four-wheeled, fully electric robots will initially operate around Wood Wharf, serving merchants including Patty&Bun, Signorelli and Beam. Deliveroo plans to expand the service to Milton Keynes, Leeds, Stockton-on-Tees and Nottingham in the coming weeks and months. Deliveroo said deployments will proceed in phases under local regulations, with Coco also discussing further launches with councils. The companies say investment in depots, charging facilities and other operational infrastructure will create jobs in maintenance, logistics and operations. Coco's UK launch follows existing deployments with DoorDash and Wolt in cities including Los Angeles, Chicago, Miami and Helsinki. DoorDash acquired Deliveroo in 2025, making the UK rollout part of a wider push into automated delivery. Built for short urban trips. Coco's robots travel at walking pace and use cameras, sensors and AI to navigate sidewalks and deliver orders directly to customers. The technology is designed mainly for short-distance trips. That makes it a complement to Deliveroo's existing rider network rather than a replacement for it, at least initially. Deliveroo said the majority of orders will continue to be handled by its human riders, although it has not specified what percentage robots could eventually handle. Miki Kuusi, CEO at Deliveroo and head of DoorDash International, said the company sees "huge potential in autonomous delivery" and expects the partnership to give restaurants and shops more flexibility as demand grows. The accessibility angle. There is an unusual benefit beyond getting food to customers. Coco's robots will share real-time sidewalk hazard information with BlindSquare, including obstacles such as construction barriers and abandoned e-scooters. The data can be used to improve navigation alerts for blind and partially sighted pedestrians. "This isn't theoretical anymore. We're seeing firsthand how Coco's real-time sidewalk data delivers tangible safety improvements for our users in every city where we operate together," BlindSquare founder Ilkka Pirttimaa said. That could give the robots a useful public role beyond delivery, although their growing presence on sidewalks will also make careful coordination with cities and pedestrians increasingly important. What this means for your orders. If you live within the initial Wood Wharf service area, your order may soon arrive by robot, but only from a handful of merchants. Elsewhere, expect to wait. Most orders will still come from riders, and the launch announcement does not explain how customers are matched with a robot. For now, that makes Coco more of an extra delivery option than a replacement for riders. The robots are best suited to short trips in dense areas, so their usefulness will depend on where you live, which restaurants participate and whether a robot is available when you order. For restaurants and retailers, the rollout offers a test of robot delivery for short local trips. Its business value will depend on delivery reliability, coverage and costs - practical measures to watch as the service expands. Read more: DoorDash's automation push also extends to the skies, with FAA approval for its own commercial drone delivery service. Aminu Abdullahi is a B2C and B2B technology and finance writer with more than six years of experience covering enterprise IT, cybersecurity, cloud computing, artificial intelligence, fintech, business software, and emerging technologies. He has written for a wide range of technical and business audiences, from IT professionals and cybersecurity leaders to small business owners, executives, and technology buyers. His work has appeared in publications including: TechRepublic eWEEK Channel Insider Geekflare Enterprise Networking Planet eSecurity Planet CIO Insight Webopedia With a background in computer science, Aminu specializes in translating complex technical subjects into clear, practical, and accessible content. His writing helps readers understand emerging technologies, evaluate business software, strengthen cybersecurity strategies, and make more informed decisions about technology investments. Across his work, Aminu focuses on the real-world impact of technology, connecting technical innovation with business value, operational efficiency, security, and long-term digital transformation.