DoorDash introduces a cute delivery robot named Dot

DoorDash has unveiled a compact electric delivery robot named Dot, designed for quick neighborhood trips. Dot is around one-tenth the size of a car, can move up to 20 mph, and can navigate roads, bike lanes, and sidewalks. The robot was developed by DoorDash Labs to integrate with the company's new Autonomous Delivery Platform, an AI dispatcher that matches orders with the best delivery method. DoorDash is launching an early access program for Dot in Tempe and Mesa, Arizona, with plans to expand the robot's deployment to new markets in the future. The company has assured Dashers that Dot will not replace them, but rather will handle the more local, less lucrative deliveries, allowing human Dashers to focus on higher-value orders. DoorDash has also previously partnered with Coco Robotics to offer sidewalk robot deliveries in LA and Chicago, and it offers drone deliveries in Christiansburg, Virginia and Frisco, Texas.