As the American delivery landscape continues to evolve, DoorDash Inc‘s (NASDAQ: DASH) (FRA: DD2) autonomous “Dot” robots have recently been spotted making their way through the streets in Arizona.
A popular social media user just took a video showing one of the four-wheeled autonomous creations opening its mouth this month in Gilbert, a suburb of Phoenix. The footage, posted to Facebook on Jan. 18, received almost 7,500 likes and an assortment of humorous comments.
“Love it” said one male. “I don’t have to tip the robot over 20 per cent, so I can actually afford the food!!” Meanwhile, another man chirped in by saying that he could count on Dot not to spit in his order.
In Riverside, California, the city advanced regulations this month that permit Dot to go out and about delivering items through a pilot program. This new framework allows the robot to work with a 13-mile radius of the downtown core. It stipulates that Dot to travel up to 5 miles per hour on sidewalks and 20 in bike lanes.
These latest deployments highlight DoorDash’s push to integrate robotics into urban environments while reducing carbon emissions and traffic.
Dot originally made its debut at the end of September. The technology became available in Tempe and Mesa, Arizona through a pilot program shortly after. In early 2026, sightings of the baby stroller/bassinet-looking gadget became prevalent in the state’s capital city. These rolling devices have made hundreds of deliveries in Arizona.
DoorDash spent seven years developing Dot into its current form. The company’s fleet addition complements the flesh-and-blood “Dashers” that have been essential for the business and drones in select regions.
Dot is 10 per cent as large as a standard vehicle, weighs 350 pounds and is completely electric. One battery charge will keep a unit going for approximately six hours. It can transport up to 30 pounds of merchandise at a time.
For navigation, the robot relies on LiDAR technology, radar equipment and eight cameras that provide 360-degree sight.
DoorDash thrived last year
On the financial front, the delivery leader did splendid. In Q3 alone, the company generated almost US$24 billion in combined sales and Dasher earnings. DoorDash expects that 2026 will yield more than US$100 billion.
On Jan 21. the stock closed at US$206.48 on the Nasdaq, up 15.3 per cent year-over-year while outperforming the S&P 500 average. Q4 results are expected to drop on Feb. 18.
Read more: Yuck! DoorDash delivery woman faces felony charges for pepper spraying food
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