The sprawling metropolis of Phoenix continues to be Waymo’s testing ground, and not just in terms of technology. The Alphabet-owned company also used initial test and commercial markets to experiment with business models that include delivery.
Waymo is known for its robotaxis, but it tested how the technology could be used for deliveries. The company previously used UPS and Uber Eats in pilot programs and committed significant staff and resources to developing self-driving trucks under Waymo Via, but ended that program in 2023 to focus on robotaxis.
Now, Waymo appears ready to test the delivery waters through a multi-year strategic partnership with DoorDash. A company spokesperson said Waymo has no other active testing, operations or partnerships focused on distribution.
The partnership will match self-driving Waymo with DoorDash customers ordering food and groceries within a 315-square-mile area of Phoenix, the company said in a blog post.
Not all DoorDash orders are delivered by Waymo. Initially, the Waymo delivery service will deliver orders from DashMart, DoorDash’s convenience stores, grocery stores, and retailers. The companies said more local Phoenix merchants and a broader range of products will be added over time.
David Richter, DoorDash’s vice president of business and corporate development, said the partnership with Waymo “offers new and enjoyable experiences for customers while advancing our vision for multimodal self-driving systems.”
The future of local commerce. ”
DoorDash is not new to the field of self-driving car technology. The company has partnered with sidewalk delivery bot company Serve Robotics to cover parts of Los Angeles. We also have an in-house self-driving vehicle technology team that has developed and manufactured a self-driving delivery bot called Dot. The delivery bot, launched in September, is being tested in the Phoenix area.
However, the deal with Waymo does not include DoorDash’s Dot vehicles. Instead, food and groceries are placed in the trunk of a Waymo vehicle, an unmanned Jaguar I-Pace that autonomously travels to the customer. From here, the customer must retrieve the item from the trunk via the DoorDash app.
This final step, which requires customers to walk to their cars to pick up their deliveries, will be a big test for both companies as they try to determine whether the novelty of receiving groceries delivered by a self-driving car outweighs the convenience of having a human handing them to their doorstep.
