Currently, making an Iced Chai Latte at Starbucks could be broken up into the following steps:

1. Retrieve Cup

2. Add X squirts of Chai Syrup

3. Add Y volume of Milk/Milk Substitute

4. Add Z volume of Ice

5. Affix Lid

6. Label (optional)

7. Hand to Customer

This market is interested in determining when steps 2-6 are automated (e.g. if all the Barista has to do is place a cup in the machine and then hand it to the customer, I'll count that as almost completely automated).

See the above link for a video of what is currently steps 2-4 (the intersting ones).

I will resolve this market to the grouping of years in which someone can buy an Iced Chai Latte in atelast 10 major metropolitan areas, without steps 2-6 being performed by a human. If some (but not all) stores in a metroplitan area are not automated, this market still resolves to that grouping of years.

I expect there to be news reports of this happening when it does - please post them here for an early resolution!