This Star Wars-like robot handles security at an Uber parking lot in San Francisco
Who did Uber hire to keep the vehicles in one of its San Francisco parking lots safe?
A 300-pound security robot that resembles R2D2 and only costs $7 an hour, Fusion reported.
The K5 Robot, made by Silicon Valley security startup Knightscope, features a 360-degree view and facial recognition abilities. The K5 also has the ability to scan up to 1,500 license plates per minute, and will notify the authorities automatically if it scans a license place registered to a suspected criminal.
The autonomous robot uses lasers and GPS systems to roll around a lot and avoid obstacles, similar to a self-driving car.
If the K5 spots anything potential criminal activity, the robot will sound an alarm and record what it's seeing to be used as evidence. But it will have to contact an actual human to confront the criminal, Knightscope's VP of Marketing Stacy Stephens told Fusion.
"If someone comes into the area and creates a disturbance, you've got evidence, photos of people, their license plates, a lot of forensic evidence you wouldn't have had previously," Stephens told Fusion.
And Stephens touted that the K5 is a much cheaper option than hiring human security guards.
"For the cost of a single-shift security guard, you get a machine that will patrol for 24 hours a day 7 days a week."
Uber did not immediately respond to Tech Insider's inquiry about the K5. Fusion reported that Uber has only tapped the K5 to work at one of its parking lots so far.
Knightscope released the robot in December 2015, and the K5 has since gone on patrol at a luxury shopping plaza in Palo Alto.