The robotaxi pioneer enters a new phase of self-driving delivery, testing customer appetite for trunk-based drop-offs via DoorDash
Phoenix: A Living Lab for Autonomous Delivery
Waymo, Alphabet’s autonomous driving subsidiary, is once again testing the waters in autonomous delivery — this time through a multi-year partnership with DoorDash in Phoenix, Arizona.
- The program covers a 315-square-mile area in Phoenix.
- Only select DoorDash orders from DashMart will initially be eligible for Waymo delivery.
Phoenix, already a testing ground for Waymo’s robotaxi services, is proving equally valuable for shaping the company’s business strategy.
From Passengers to Packages
Waymo has previously dabbled in delivery with partners like UPS and Uber Eats, and once had a dedicated freight division, Waymo Via, which was shut down in 2023.
- This new pilot marks Waymo’s first active delivery program since shifting focus back to robotaxis.
- DoorDash customers may now receive orders in a driverless Jaguar I-Pace, equipped with Waymo’s self-driving tech.
However, not all DoorDash orders will involve Waymo — for now, it’s limited to select DashMart deliveries, with plans to expand to local merchants and broader offerings.
The Customer Experience — And Its Challenges
Deliveries won’t come to your door. Instead, customers will need to retrieve their items from the trunk of the Waymo vehicle.
- Using the DoorDash app, customers will unlock the trunk when the vehicle arrives.
- This approach tests a key question: Is the novelty of driverless delivery compelling enough to offset the inconvenience of retrieving items curbside?
This interaction could be a make-or-break moment for customer adoption, especially compared to traditional doorstep delivery.
DoorDash’s Expanding Autonomous Ecosystem
DoorDash has been steadily building its multi-modal delivery strategy:
- It already partners with Serve Robotics for sidewalk robot deliveries in L.A.
- It also revealed an in-house delivery bot, called Dot, which is currently testing in Phoenix.
However, Dot is not part of the Waymo partnership. Instead, this collaboration is focused entirely on Waymo’s self-driving Jaguar fleet — suggesting DoorDash is open to diverse, complementary technologies.
Strategic Synergy or Just a Test Drive?
For both companies, the pilot is as much about learning consumer preferences as it is about testing tech.
- Waymo gains an opportunity to gather delivery data and assess operational feasibility outside of passenger transport.
- DoorDash explores how customers respond to hands-free delivery models — a growing interest in the autonomous delivery race.
David Richter of DoorDash says the initiative will provide a “delightful experience” and support a vision for multi-modal, autonomous local commerce.
