Starship's Delivery Robots Coming to Fremont
Starship Technologies is launching its autonomous food delivery robot service in Fremont this year. The small, six-wheeled vehicles will deliver food directly to residents' doorsteps, aiming to add a new layer of convenience to the city's local commerce, though a specific start date has not been set.
The robot delivery service arriving in Fremont is operated by DoorDash, not Starship Technologies, and the autonomous vehicle is named Dot. Dot is manufactured locally in Fremont in a partnership between DoorDash Labs and advanced manufacturer Sonic Manufacturing. The rollout will occur in phases, beginning with a trial of three robots accompanied by human monitors. If the initial phase is successful, the program will expand to include up to 30 remotely monitored robots. The service has already undergone testing in the Phoenix metropolitan area. The designated service areas for the initial deployment include Downtown, City Center, Centerville, and Irvington. Key travel corridors for the robots will be Fremont Boulevard, Walnut Avenue, Mowry Avenue, Stevenson Boulevard, and Paseo Padre Parkway. The all-electric Dot robots are designed to navigate on sidewalks, in bike lanes, and on streets. They have a maximum speed of 5 mph on sidewalks, 16 mph in bike lanes, and 20 mph on neighborhood streets. For navigation, the robots utilize a combination of lidar, radar, and cameras. Residents will have their first opportunity to see the Dot robots in action during Fremont's 4th Annual Restaurant Week, which runs from March 6 to 15. The official inaugural delivery is scheduled for the kickoff event on March 5.
