Two robots are patrolling downtown Denver parking garages. Are more coming?

Story by Noelle Phillips, The Denver Post

12/27/2023, 10:31:00 AM

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/two-robots-are-patrolling-downtown-denver-parking-garages-are-more-coming/ar-AA1m6JSd

LoDoMus Prime and his sidekick Dave roam two downtown Denver parking garages every day, watching people park their cars and rush off to appointments in nearby office buildings.

If a person lingers too long, LoDoMus Prime or Dave will start a countdown: “Five, four, three, two, one.” Then the robots call their human security backup.

They resemble R2D2 but without the bleeps, boops and squeaks emitted by the famous “Star Wars” droid.

The robots went to work in the LoDo Towers’ two garages on 17th Street in October 2022 after building management recognized an increase in car break-ins, said Bethany Chang, a principal with CIM Group, the firm that manages the property. Since the company deployed the robots, it has seen a more than 70% drop in car thefts and vandalism, she said.

“During COVID, security was a concern across many markets,” Chang said. “And LoDo wasn’t immune to that. We were researching ways to support our security system, our security team, and we heard about this. We thought it was a very smart innovation.”

Surveillance long has been a tool for companies looking to boost security inside and outside their properties. For years, cameras were fixed at doors and on walls to record video of people coming and going.

Now there’s a new surveillance tool that is becoming more common — autonomous robots.

LoDo Towers is the first downtown property where robots roam garages to watch for trouble.

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