Starship Technologies hit by lawsuit after woman claims serious injuries from delivery

A police officer found her laying on the ground and complaining of lower back pain and with a four inch cut on her left arm. She stated that, after knocking her over, the robot started to leave and then tried to back into her.

Perez’s case is set for a jury trial early next year. Vrana Law Firm, which represents Perez, said that their client has “lifelong impairment,” due to the injuries she sustained.

What Happened

RTIH has reached out to Starship Technologies for comment and will update this article as soon as we hear back from the company. It has provided investigators with video footage recorded by the robot.

• According to an Arizona State University (ASU) Police Department report, 73 year old Trudy Perez was working as an attendant at an ASU parking garage in 2023 when the robot ran into her.

• Under Arizona law, businesses running autonomous delivery devices must maintain minimum liability coverage of $100,000 per unit, enforce reasonable safety precautions for pedestrians and ensure a human operator actively monitors each device.

• Over 1,200 robots from its US campus fleet will now be redeployed accordingly.

Key Details

Last month, Starship Technologies said it was shifting its focus to retail grocery chains and hot food delivery in cities across Europe and the United States as it wound down its US university campus operations. We built something remarkable on US campuses.

• When we started in 2018, operating in closed, controlled environments was the right foundation: it gave us the operational depth and real-world delivery data that no lab could provide.

• The unit economics are clear: our robots deliver groceries at a cost $3-4 lower per delivery than traditional courier fulfilment.

• Autonomous delivery will be a key focus area at the 2026 RTIH Innovation Awards.

Why It Matters

That gap is the difference between last mile delivery being a margin problem and a competitive advantage. The awards are now open for entries and celebrate global retail technology innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world.

• Our winners will be revealed at the 2026 RTIH Innovation Awards Ceremony, taking place at The HAC in Central London on Wednesday, 4th November.

• Our 2025 hall of fame entrants were revealed during a sold out event which took place at The HAC on 16th October and consisted of a drinks reception, three course meal, and awards ceremony.

What Reports Say

Coverage of the story so far points to:

• Congratulations to our winners, and a big thank you to our sponsors, judging panel, the legend that is Tiff Stevenson, and all those who attended our 2025 gathering.

• Continued reporting by Retail Technology Innovation Hub as more details emerge