Robot Food Delivery Comes to Fremont

The new delivery robots are a "home-grown product" from DoorDash, named "Dot". They are manufactured in Fremont through a partnership between DoorDash Labs and local advanced manufacturer Sonic Manufacturing. This collaboration is part of Fremont's initiative to serve as a testbed for innovation and support local businesses. The rollout will be gradual, beginning with a small fleet of three robots that will be closely monitored by human operators. Following this initial phase, the program is planned to expand to 30 robots serving the Downtown, City Center, Centerville, and Irvington neighborhoods. The public will first see the robots in action during Fremont's Restaurant Week, from March 6 to 15. These all-electric robots are designed to navigate city sidewalks and bike lanes safely. They operate at low speeds, with a maximum of 5 miles per hour on sidewalks, 16 mph in bike lanes, and 20 mph on neighborhood streets. Before the full launch, DoorDash will be mapping the service area to create a 3D representation of the streets for safe navigation around pedestrians and cyclists. This isn't the first deployment of this technology for DoorDash. The "Dot" robot program has already undergone successful testing in the Phoenix metropolitan area, where the robots have navigated hundreds of thousands of miles. The city of Fremont has issued an encroachment permit to DoorDash, ensuring the service complies with all municipal codes and public safety standards.