DoorDash will be building its own last mile delivery robots
Last week, DoorDash introduced DoorDash Labs, its robotics and automation division that’s been operating since 2018. DoorDash has tested last-mile delivery with a number of robotics companies since 2017, including Cruise, Marble and Starship Technologies. However, none of those solutions seem to have stuck for DoorDash.
The food delivery giant appears to be developing its own autonomous delivery robots.
DoorDash hasn’t publicly revealed any details about its delivery robots, but it has filed several relevant patents with the United States Patent and Trademark Office. In May 2019, it filed two patents for an autonomous delivery vehicle. The patents were approved in September and October of 2021 and include diagrams of an autonomous delivery robot.
DoorDash told The Robot Report that patents aren’t necessarily indicators of what’s actually under development. While the robots DoorDash eventually publicly reveals could look and work differently, the patents and diagrams at least give us a glimpse of what DoorDash has in mind.
“DoorDash Labs’ goal is to develop and implement robotics solutions that complement the Dasher community, increase efficiency in our overall network, and result in a more efficient, improved experience for all audiences DoorDash serves,” a Doordash spokesperson said in an emailed statement. “We are committed to working closely with safety experts and regulatory stakeholders to implement best practices as we explore the in-house development of automation technologies.”
