DoorDash's autonomous delivery robot crosses Main Street at Mission Inn Avenue during Friday's demonstration, carrying peach cobbler from Gram's BBQ to Riverside City Hall. (Justin Pardee)
DoorDash unveiled its autonomous delivery robot "Dot" in Riverside Friday morning, marking the food delivery platform's latest push into automated last-mile delivery while strengthening its relationship with local businesses through a Greater Riverside Chambers of Commerce membership.
The electric, self-driving robot made its local debut at Gram's BBQ on Main Street, where owner Benita Bratton loaded peach cobbler into the robot and sent it toward City Hall, where city officials welcomed the dessert delivery.
"Today is more than just a ribbon cutting for us. Today is a real glimpse into the future of local delivery," said Henry Greenidge, DoorDash's senior policy advisor for autonomy and robotics. "We really see Riverside as the anchor of what we want to do in the Inland Empire."
Chamber staff join Gram's BBQ owner Benita Bratton and DoorDash's Henry Greenidge for the ribbon cutting of the autonomous delivery robot "Dot" outside the Main Street restaurant Friday morning. (Justin Pardee)
DoorDash currently partners with nearly 700 Riverside businesses, Greenidge said. The autonomous delivery program aims to reduce vehicle traffic and emissions.
The robot, which can travel up to 20 miles per hour and cover a 3-to-5-mile radius, was developed entirely in-house by DoorDash Labs. At one-tenth the size of a car, it's purpose-built for local delivery and designed to navigate doorways and driveways, Greenidge said. The robot can travel faster than existing sidewalk-only delivery robots that typically max out at 7 mph, according to Greenidge.
"This is the first robot that can traverse bike lanes, sidewalks and road shoulders," Greenidge explained. The technology uses lidar, cameras and radar to identify objects and navigate streets.
DoorDash already accounts for about 10% of Bratton's total revenue, she said, calling the delivery platform "an essential part" of her business model.
"This isn't just a win for Gram's BBQ. It's a game changer for all of us," Bratton said.
Miranda Evans from the city's Community and Economic Development department said the demonstration advances Riverside's reputation for innovation while supporting small business growth.
"It's a robust process. It takes several months to start up an operation," Greenidge said. "We don't just deploy a robot into a city." The deployment requires extensive preparation, including training for first responders and police on how to interact with the robots, which feature two-way communication systems for emergency situations. Greenidge said the company plans a "robust community engagement plan" to educate residents about the technology at local events.
DoorDash is exploring real estate options in Riverside for an operational headquarters as it prepares to use the city as its Inland Empire anchor, with plans to hire locally.
The deployment comes as DoorDash joins the Greater Riverside Chambers of Commerce, a move chamber President Nicholas Adcock called significant for a "national, if not international" company choosing to invest locally.
Adcock called the development "another prime example of businesses in our city being innovative" and praised the partnership between the tech platform, local restaurants, and city government.
