DoorDash has launched its own autonomous delivery robot, named Dot, marking a step into robotics for the food delivery giant. The compact, red robot standing under five feet tall with big LED "eyes" for a friendly look handles repetitive deliveries on roads, bike lanes, and sidewalks, freeing human couriers for higher-value orders.

Key features include:

1. Capacity: It can carry up to 30 pounds (13 kg) of food, like six pizzas, using swappable inserts for cupholders or coolers.
2. Power: Interchangeable battery system to keep fleets running nonstop.
3. Navigation: Equipped with 8 cameras, 4 radar units, and 3 lidar sensors, powered by real-time AI models for safe, efficient routing.
4. Testing is underway in Phoenix, with plans to expand to 1.6 million residents by the end of 2025. DoorDash, which spent seven years building toward this, acquiring AV startups and recruiting talent from Zoox and others emphasizes that Dot complements rather than replaces human couriers, focusing on smaller orders.

Challenges like vandalism, safety concerns, and worker pushback persist, but success could position DoorDash as a key player in autonomous logistics.