California-based DoorDash unveiled Dot, its first commercial autonomous delivery robot, designed to navigate bike lanes, sidewalks, and roads, marking a major step in its autonomous delivery strategy. Developed in-house by DoorDash Labs, Dot integrates with the company’s new Autonomous Delivery Platform to provide scalable, efficient local delivery for merchants and consumers.
At one-tenth the size of a car, Dot is purpose-built for neighborhood trips, reaching speeds of up to 20 mph and engineered for safety and agility. Its compact, all-electric design enables quick deliveries, reduces congestion, lowers emissions, and allows for secure, reliable item handoffs. The robot’s debut begins with an early access program in Tempe and Mesa, Arizona, with plans to expand to additional markets in the future.
“You don’t always need a full-sized car to deliver a tube of toothpaste or pack of diapers,” said Stanley Tang, Co-Founder and Head of DoorDash Labs. “The breakthrough wasn’t just making it autonomous, but making it reliable and efficient to serve the needs of local businesses and consumers. Every design decision—from size to speed to sensor suite—was informed by billions of deliveries on our global platform.”
Dot operates within DoorDash’s Autonomous Delivery Platform, an AI-driven system that orchestrates multiple delivery modes, including Dashers, sidewalk robots, and drones. The platform matches each order with the optimal delivery method based on speed, cost, location, and customer experience. Complementary tools, such as SmartScale, ensure order accuracy and suitability for emerging autonomous methods.
“With more than 10 billion deliveries under our belt, we’ve learned what works and what scales,” said Ashu Rege, VP and Head of Autonomy at DoorDash Labs. “Making autonomous technology work requires reimagining delivery from the ground up. Dot and the Autonomous Delivery Platform are purpose-built to handle the complexities of local commerce.”
The system aims to create value for merchants, consumers, and Dashers alike. Merchants can expand reach and handle high-demand periods, consumers gain faster, more reliable deliveries, and Dashers can focus on orders requiring human judgment while autonomous robots handle routine local trips.
Dot is integrated with DoorDash’s existing routing engine, merchant tools, and consumer app, creating a seamless, end-to-end autonomous commerce ecosystem. Each mile driven by Dot feeds back into the system, enhancing safety, efficiency, and network intelligence.
Mesa Mayor Mark Freeman highlighted the local significance: “Mesa has long been a proving ground for breakthrough ideas, and Dot demonstrates how advanced technologies can strengthen local businesses while meeting daily needs. Our partnership with DoorDash shows Mesa is helping shape the future of local delivery.”
