DoorDash has expanded its partnership with robotics company Coco to roll out sidewalk robot delivery in select locations in the US.
The expansion is on the heels of a successful pilot testing in Helsinki, Finland. According to the company, over 1000 deliveries by robots were made during the trial period.
This partnership aims to promote sustainability and eco-friendly practices in DoorDash’s delivery procedures, with emission-free sidewalk robots reducing the environmental impact compared to cars.
Harrison Shih, Senior Director of DoorDash Labs, said: “Not every delivery needs a 2-ton car just to deliver two chicken sandwiches.”
“We believe the future of delivery will be multi-modal, and we’re thrilled to partner with Coco to expand sidewalk robot deliveries that complement the Dasher network as we continue to enhance the DoorDash experience for customers and merchants.”
US consumers in Los Angeles and Chicago are now able to access sidewalk robot delivery from around 600 sellers on the application.
Zach Rash, co-founder and CEO of Coco Robotics, added: “We’re excited to expand our partnership with DoorDash, combining Coco’s AI robocourier platform with DoorDash’s national scale and reach.”
“This collaboration marks an important step forward in reshaping urban delivery in the US, starting with Los Angeles and Chicago, to offer retailers and customers a reliable, sustainable, and delightful delivery experience.”
The company also piloted a drone delivery program in Australia as part of a partnership with Wing, extending it to Christiansburg and Virginia, where customers can receive Wendy’s deliveries via drones.
Beyond leveraging technology, the ecommerce delivery platform has also been enhancing customer experience by introducing flexible payment options with Klarna and accepting SNAP payments from low-income families.
Click here to sign up to Retail Gazette‘s free daily email newsletter
