Here's What You Should Know About Subway's Test 'Smart Fridges'

Futuristic Hollywood depictions of the 2020's rarely line up with reality. We have yet to pivot from concrete highways to hover cars, most of us have never been to the moon, and as far as we know, we are not ruled by extraterrestrials. That said, sometimes a new technological phenomenon emerges looking eerily similar to something out of "Star Trek" or the 1999 Disney Channel Original, "Smart House," in which a boy and his family move into an automated dream house maintained by an increasingly unhinged robot.

More often than not, artificial intelligence is at the center of these innovations. In a roundup of the biggest AI breakthroughs of 2022, Forbes lists everything from advanced language modeling systems (which aim to humanize digital programs and apps by translating characteristics of the human language into computer code) to complex cyber security networks and personalized experiences in the metaverse. For Subway, new artificial intelligence technology means smarter fridges. 

In September, as part of its Grab & Go program in "nontraditional locations" like casinos, convenience stores, and hospitals, Subway rolled out its first "interactive, fully unattended smart fridge" at the University of California San Diego, per a press release. The fridge is stocked each morning with drinks, snacks, and fresh sandwiches from a brick-and-mortar Subway location nearby, saving college students a trip to the quick-service restaurant. 

Unlike a standard vending machine, artificial intelligence and "natural language processing" allow customers to speak to the fridge as if it were a cashier, whether they have a question about price, ingredients, or taste. For all we know, it even doles out life advice. The fridge comes complete with weight-sensor shelves to "help ensure guests are charged correctly," while UV-C light sanitation works to maintain the freshness of the food inside. "Initial feedback on the smart fridge is extremely positive," per the press release.