DoorDash is getting super creative with delivery robots … check it out in my latest at Forbes.
A quick AI summary:
I’ve just rolled out the story behind Dot — DoorDash’s new autonomous delivery robot designed to handle roads, sidewalks, bike lanes (and driveways). In the piece, I walk through how Dot is engineered to be about one-tenth the size of a car, and can hit speeds up to 20 mph.
Beyond the specs, I dig into the strategy: Dot isn’t just a cute gadget. It’s part of DoorDash’s push to create an Autonomous Delivery Platform that dynamically matches orders to the best delivery mode — whether that’s a human driver, a robot, or even a drone.
I also highlight the tricky bits: how Dot will need to navigate mixed environments (roads, sidewalks, bike lanes), how it must balance safety and expectations, and how this may shift what we expect from last-mile delivery.
If this experiment scales, it could reshape how we get things delivered — and force all of us to rethink how tech blends into everyday streetscapes.