Hitchhiking Robot Equipped with GPS Tracking – Journey Across USA Ends Early

20 Aug 2015

Technology has certainly come a very long way, and hitchBOT is the prime example of just how far. This robot, which was equipped with a GPS tracking, hitchhiked its way across Canada last summer. It started out in Halifax, Nova Scotia and journeyed all the way to Victoria, British Columbia, covering a total of 10,000 kilometers in a span of 26 days. During its journey across Canada, hitchBOT was picked up by a 19 different travelers.

And that’s not the only adventure that this high-tech robot had; it has also visited cities across Germany, including Munich, Cologne, Berlin and Hamburg, as well as the Netherlands.

hitchBOT was slated to run its wheels again on a trip across the United States this past summer. Outfitted with a sticker that read, ‘San Francisco or Bust’. The trip across the US started in Salem, Massachusetts and was supposed to end in San Francisco , California.

However, just two weeks into his journey, hitchBOT hit a bump in the road and his trip was cut short. It did manage to cross a few items off of its travel itinerary, including landmarks in Boston and New York City, thanks to the help of strangers, but on August 1, 2015, his trip was halted when it was destroyed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Sadly, the team received notification of the robot’s devastating destruction via a photograph that captured the vandalized robot. Nobody knows who did damaged the robot, but they do know that its batter is dead and that it cannot be located.

In order to keep this high-fangled robot’s memory alive, the Canadian team that created it is asking the world to show their love, support and appreciation for hitchBOT by sharing circuit-warning stories about it on various social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Storify.

hitchBOT was a special robot. It was about the size of a toddler-aged child, had a smiling face and had yellow wheels, which are what carried it on its many journeys. Additionally, it could hold a short conversation, thanks to its small vocabulary that it was loaded with. It was also outfitted with a camera, which it used to snap a photo every 20 minutes to illustrate its whereabouts.

The team is devastated by the destruction of the robot, but it is very proud of the accomplishments that it was able to achieve.

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About George Karonis

George Karonis is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of LiveViewGPS Inc., a company he established in 2008 with the vision of making real-time GPS tracking more reliable, affordable, and accessible for businesses of all sizes. Over the past two decades, he has built a reputation as an innovator in GPS tracking, fleet management, asset monitoring, and Push-to-Talk over Cellular (PTToC) communications. Under George's leadership, LiveViewGPS has grown into a nationally recognized provider of GPS tracking solutions, serving businesses, government agencies, educational institutions, law enforcement organizations, and public works departments throughout the United States. The company's technology helps organizations improve operational efficiency, protect valuable assets, increase driver safety, and reduce operating costs through real-time location intelligence. Before founding LiveViewGPS, George developed a background in security, surveillance, and emerging location technologies. His passion for innovation and practical problem solving has driven the development of products that combine dependable hardware with easy-to-use cloud software, giving customers actionable information when it matters most. In 2018, George expanded into nationwide Push-to-Talk over Cellular communications by launching PeakPTT, providing businesses with rugged, instant communication solutions that operate over LTE and Wi-Fi networks. His focus has remained the same throughout his career: delivering dependable technology backed by exceptional customer service and long-term customer relationships. George regularly writes about GPS tracking, fleet management, asset protection, business technology, and communication systems. Through this blog, he shares industry insights, practical advice, and emerging trends to help organizations make informed decisions about tracking technology and connected operations.