Detroit — A delivery robot whizzes across the streets of Detroit delivering pizza. Canadian auto supplier Magna International Inc. came up with the idea of building this autonomous, electric delivery vehicle, a last mil-delivery robot. The company announced the plans on Wednesday at the North American International Auto Show.

One of the robots has been deployed at the Detroit-area pizzeria since March, the company said.

"These are exciting times," Matteo Del Sorbo, executive vice president of Magna International and global lead for the company's Magna New Mobility arm, said during a news conference. "We're seeing the greatest change in the auto industry since the change from horses to cars."

Del Sorbo said the company developed the vehicle at its U.S. headquarters in Troy and a model has been delivering pies and other food for Brooklyn Pizza in Birmingham. He said the robot has delivered hundreds of pizzas to customers.

Magna's investment of $77 million in Yulu, a company in India that makes electric two-wheelers. The other is Magna's partnership with Oakland, Calif.-based autonomous robot maker Cartken to build delivery robots.

Brooklyn Pizza owner Sam said feedback from his customers about the delivery robot has been positive and the robot hasn't had any problems making its runs. 

"The only thing it might encounter is drivers on the road stop and try to take pictures of it.", he said jokingly.

Company officials has however said that the machine is meant for the warmer months, but the long-term goal is for it to be able to operate in all weather conditions.

He said the company is using just one delivery robot but hopes to add more. The pizzeria uses its robot to make single deliveries to customers, but it has the capability to make multiple deliveries, the pizza maker said.

Del Sorbo said the technology's goal is to reduce carbon emissions and the cost of last-mile delivery, the last leg of shipping goods to customers.

Magna's technology in the robot includes an autonomous driving system that uses cameras, radar and LiDAR, the company said. The device can travel up to 20 mph on public streets.