DoorDash launches autonomous delivery robot called Dot.
Courtesy: DoorDash
Your DoorDash deliverer could soon look a little different.
DoorDash on Tuesday announced a robot, known as Dot, that navigates busy streets, parking lots and sidewalks to bring customers their food.
Dot marks DoorDash’s first official standalone push into autonomous vehicle technology. The company has tested drone delivery and partnered with Sam Altman-backed startup Coco Robotics for sidewalk delivery.
“The scale and complexity of the business demands something like autonomy, and there isn’t anything out there that fits our use case,” DoorDash co-founder Stanley Tang told CNBC.
Tang, who leads the DoorDash Labs automation and robotics unit, said Dot is a solution to increasingly complex deliveries, and attempts to open the technology to local merchants. The company said the robot can reach up to 20 miles per hour and carry up to six pizza boxes, or 30 pounds of items.
Autonomous delivery is an emerging trend. Earlier this month, Uber announced a food delivery partnership with Israeli drone startup Flytrex, and previously delivered food using self-driving Waymo cars.
DoorDash has been testing its robot in Phoenix, with plans to later expand to other metropolitan areas. Dot is currently open to merchants in the Phoenix area through DoorDash’s new autonomous delivery platform that also includes drone delivery where available.
Dot is equipped with eight cameras and three lidar sensors to navigate road scenarios like crowded parking lots, blocked bike lanes and busy streets. It also includes an internal camera to ensure food quality.
DoorDash also announced a SmartScale feature that weighs order and detects any potential missing items. The company said its internal data suggests that the test product has slashed missing item complaints by up to 30%.
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