DoorDash, in partnership with Coco Robotics, is launching a robot delivery service in Los Angeles and Chicago. This comes after the successful testing phase of DoorDash's robot delivery service launched late last year in Helsinki, Finland, with this also done in partnership with Coco Robotics.
In this experience, the food delivery service takes out human workers from the equation, and this also means that there are less cars to drive around, making it ideal for an eco-friendlier operation.
DoorDash Robot Deliver Service Launch in LA, Chicago
DoorDash and Coco Robotics have announced their latest venture for their robot delivery services in the United States, particularly in Los Angeles, California and Chicago, Illinois.
According to DoorDash, its goal is to focus on a "multi-modal" delivery platform which combines its different strategies that include human Dashers, drones, and autonomous robots.
According to the company, there are over 600 participating merchants in the DoorDash app that are part of this robot delivery service rollout in the US, giving customers various options for their food orders.
Harrison Shih, DoorDash Labs' senior director said that "Not every delivery needs a 2-ton car just to deliver two chicken sandwiches."
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DoorDash and Coco Robotics' Service Has a Catch
According to DoorDash, not all customers will receive their orders via the sidewalk robot deliveries, particularly as only "eligible customers" will get this new experience.
Moreover, DoorDash and Coco Robotics' partnership expands their zero-emissions focus on food deliveries as done earlier in Helsinki, with their pilot program completing over 100,000 deliveries in the European city.
The sidewalk robot delivery program will also be helpful during busy times, for both DoorDash and its delivery partners as it offers a low-cost, scalable solution.
Robot Deliveries Are the Future?
Autonomy is now one of the most sought-after technologies offered by different companies looking to serve its customers. Back during the pandemic, Japan started testing its robot delivery service for the Fujisawa Sustainable Smart Town, and this proved to be ideal for no contact experiences.
Uber's food specific service, Uber Eats, deployed its sidewalk delivery robots in Virginia last 2023. The goal is to lessen the need for human drivers and cars, especially for small orders, thereby lessening its carbon footprint and making it more efficient.
Apart from robots that roll around the streets for deliveries, there are also other companies which have focused their autonomous delivery system on utilizing air transportation via drone technology. This focus has expanded to more than delivering food as they have also been used to deliver small parcels, items, medicine, and more to users.
