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Waymo will also drive for DoorDash in Phoenix

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Waymo has announced a new partnership with DoorDash that will make the company's self-driving cars a delivery option for users in Phoenix, Arizona. You can already hail a ride in Waymo’s Arizona service area, but this new partnership will give the company's cars something to do when they're not transporting human cargo.

To start, Waymo says that deliveries will be limited to things you can order through DashMart, DoorDash's storefront for convenience and grocery stores. Eventually, though, deliveries will "include more local Phoenix merchants and a wider variety of offerings." 

In order to try out a Waymo delivery, you'll have to place your order through DoorDash and "opt in to autonomous delivery" during checkout. Once Waymo's car arrives, much like DoorDash's Dot robot, you'll then have to physically leave your home and collect your order from the car's trunk to complete the delivery. Part of the convenience (and complication) of DoorDash is getting what you ordered brought to your door. A Waymo delivery might turn some people off, since it makes that option impossible.

Of course, this isn't the first time Waymo has delivered food in Phoenix. In 2024 the company partnered with Uber Eats for a similar program, with similar limitations around how deliveries were completed and where food could be ordered from. Waymo runs its own robotaxi service in Arizona, Waymo One, but depending on the region, it's also offered rides through third-party partners like Uber. Its partnerships with Uber Eats and DoorDash seem like variations on the same idea.

In 2020, Waymo was exploring using self-driving long-haul trucks for deliveries. The company abandoned those plans in 2023 to prioritize robotaxis and the Waymo Driver software, but these tests with DoorDash and Uber Eats could be a signal that Waymo is interested in pursuing deliveries on a smaller scale.


This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://ift.tt/CNHW7IU

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