DoorDash Partners With Rivian Spinoff for Delivery Robots

The future of food delivery just got a little more automated, and a lot more innovative.

DoorDash announced Tuesday it's partnering with Also, a company spun off from electric vehicle maker Rivian in 2025. The delivery giant is investing in Also to develop autonomous vehicles that can handle the tricky "last mile" of getting food from restaurants to your door.

Unlike the bulky self-driving cars you might imagine, Also specializes in compact electric vehicles that combine pedal power with motorized assistance. These nimble machines are designed to fit in bike lanes while carrying cargo, opening up delivery possibilities in crowded urban areas where traditional vehicles struggle.

Also's flagship commercial product, the TM-Q, looks particularly well-suited for the job. This four-wheeled electric vehicle can haul multiple food orders at once while still navigating the tight spaces between roads, bike lanes, and sidewalks.

The technology addresses a real gap in delivery logistics. "We're deploying autonomous vehicles in areas not yet fully solved for," said Also co-founder Chris Yu, pointing to the complicated intersections where roads, bike lanes, and pedestrian spaces meet.

DoorDash isn't the only major player betting on this approach. Amazon agreed to buy thousands of TM-Q vehicles in October for their own last-mile deliveries, signaling broader industry confidence in the technology.

The Ripple Effect

This partnership represents more than just a business deal. It's pushing autonomous technology into everyday spaces where people live and work, making futuristic delivery methods a practical reality.

The collaboration has already boosted Also's valuation above $1 billion, creating jobs and investment in clean transportation technology. As part of the deal, DoorDash co-founder Stanley Tang will join Also's board as an observer, bringing deep delivery expertise to guide the technology's development.

For consumers, this could mean faster, more affordable deliveries as companies reduce labor costs and increase efficiency. For cities, it offers a potential solution to delivery congestion that doesn't add more cars to already crowded streets.

The autonomous vehicles run on electric power, meaning every delivery completed by these machines instead of gas-powered cars reduces emissions and moves us closer to cleaner urban air.

Tomorrow's deliveries are rolling into bike lanes today, and they're bringing progress with them.