DoorDash Unveils Dot, Autonomous Delivery Robot

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Developed in-house by DoorDash Labs, Dot integrates with its existing marketplace infrastructure and new autonomous delivery platform.

DoorDash has unveiled Dot, the commercial autonomous robot built to travel seamlessly on bike lanes, roads, sidewalks, and driveways, and specifically designed for local delivery. 

Developed in-house by DoorDash Labs, Dot integrates with its existing marketplace infrastructure and new autonomous delivery platform.

At one-tenth the size of a car, Dot can reach speeds of up to 20 mph. It is built for neighbourhood trips and its all-electric design helps reduce congestion and emissions.

This is beginning with an early access programme in Tempe and Mesa, Arizona. DoorDash is launching it in the greater Phoenix metro area, marking the beginning of its commercial deployment and paving the way for future expansion into multiple new markets.

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“You don’t always need a full-sized car to deliver a tube of toothpaste or pack of diapers. That’s the insight behind Dot,” said Stanley Tang, Co-Founder and Head at DoorDash Labs. “The breakthrough wasn’t just making it autonomous, but in making it reliable and efficient to serve the needs of local businesses and consumers. 

“Dot is purpose-built for the millions of deliveries we facilitate every day. It is small enough to navigate doorways and driveways, fast enough to maintain food quality, and smart enough to optimise the best routes for delivery.”

“Every design decision, from its compact size to its speed to the sensor suite, came from analysing billions of deliveries on our global platform and understanding what actually moves the needle for merchants and consumers.” 

Ashu Rege, VP and Head of Autonomy at DoorDash Labs, said, “With more than ten billion deliveries under our belt, we’ve learned what works, what doesn’t, and what scales.” 

“Making autonomous technology work for delivery requires reimagining it from the ground up. We’ve built Dot and our autonomous delivery platform using advanced AI and robotics specifically designed for the complexities of local commerce.”

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