https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2026-02-17/delivery-robot-battles-elements-in-west-hollywood-gets-support-from-online-fans-go-coco-go
Coco Robotics describes its delivery bots, pictured in 2023, as being “weather proof” and “engineered for efficient city travel.” That description was put to the test during this latest storm.
Coco delivery robots are seen on the sidewalk
The latest deluge of rain has made getting around Los Angeles doubly difficult for motorists, pedestrians and cyclists. But in this digital age, food delivery robots are now joining the rest of us in the struggle to maneuver L.A.’s rain-soaked streets.
On Monday, heavy rainfall pummeled Southern California, flooding streets and curbs with several inches of water.
On Melrose Place in West Hollywood, Mona Seresht spotted a pink and orange Coco Robotics bot struggling through a flooded street on its delivery route.
A familiar sight in Los Angeles, the cooler-sized AI-controlled sidewalk bots deliver everyday essentials and groceries to customers. But this bot was battling more than just uneven sidewalks and other barriers.
Seresht took a video of the bot, with the text, “No one knows how to act when it rains in LA [shaking my head],” and posted it on Instagram. The post has garnered more than 200,000 likes and more than 3,00 comments, many of which expressed sympathy for the bot.
Many Instagram followers cheered the bot on, with one posting, “Go coco, go,” and others calling for someone to help the robot.
The Coco Robotics website describes the delivery bot as being “weather proof” and “engineered for efficient city travel.” That description was put to the test during this latest downpour.
The bots continuously assess their surroundings and will automatically reroute if they encounter obstructions such as standing water, debris or blocked sidewalks, said Carl Hansen, vice president of government relations at Coco.
“Each robot is supervised in real time by a trained remote operator who can intervene immediately if needed,” Hansen said. “If a robot were to become stuck, our field operations team would be dispatched promptly to recover it.”
In cases of severe weather or flooding where sidewalks are not safely navigable, Coco may temporarily pause operations or reroute a bot until conditions improve, according to the company.
As the rain came down Monday, Seresht, who is a cosmetic dermatology physician assistant on Melrose Place, told The Times she had a brief gap in her schedule due to patient delays caused by the weather.
“My team and I walked down the stairs to check out the rain and noticed the Coco Robot zip by quickly and by the time we got by the door and looked outside, it was struggling, trying to get up the curb,” she said.
Seresht said when she and her co-workers order food, it is delivered by a robot and that the two delivery bots that dominate Melrose Place are from Coco and Serve Robotics.
“Unfortunately, like many places in Los Angeles, the roads aren’t as equipped to handle extreme rainfall,” she said. “During heavy rain, it’s not uncommon to notice some temporary water pooling near the curbs, especially in spots where the pavement is uneven.”
Luckily, Seresht said, the Coco bot she recorded struggling in the rain was ultimately able to back up and make its way up the sidewalk to, hopefully, get to its destination.
