Seems that Pennsylvania has granted the little robot wonderers rights as “pedestrians”.
Pennsylvania joins several other states in regulating autonomous delivery robots, aka Personal Delivery Devices (PDD). Most laws, including Pennsylvania’s, now legally classify them as pedestrians, as long as PDDs yield the right-of-way to actual human pedestrians and cyclists.
But Pennsylvania’s new law is arguably one of the least restrictive of any state outside of Florida, which is one of the least pedestrian-friendly states in America. Pennsylvania Senate Bill 1199 allows PDD to weigh up to 550 pounds. Washington state has a weight limit of 120 pounds for comparison. SB 1199 speed limit, on the sidewalk, is 12 mph. Only the Florida speed limit is faster, where municipalities can only institute a 15 mph speed limit.
Thats some fast movers for that speed. I’m sure getting hit by one of those will be a bone breaking event.