Serve Robotics is strategically seeking to broaden the adoption of its autonomous, cooler-shaped delivery robots by partnering with as many commercial entities as possible—even if this effort requires forming alliances with companies that might ordinarily be perceived as competitors. In its most recent initiative, the company announced a partnership with DoorDash, a prominent player in the food delivery sector that is simultaneously pursuing its own robotic delivery technology. According to the announcement made on Thursday, Serve’s self-driving robots will soon begin executing deliveries for DoorDash customers in Los Angeles—a metropolis where Serve already conducts operations through its existing collaboration with Uber Eats. Both companies stated that this Los Angeles deployment represents only the beginning, as their broader vision involves expanding the joint venture to additional cities across the United States in the near future.
Serve Robotics, which originated as a spin-off from Uber-owned Postmates in 2021, currently manages a growing network of autonomous delivery robots operating across five major U.S. cities: Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, and Miami. The decision to collaborate with DoorDash—especially given that DoorDash had unveiled its own proprietary delivery robot, named Dot, only a month prior—might initially appear counterintuitive. Yet, according to Serve’s co-founder and Chief Executive Officer, Ali Kashani, the relationship between the companies is not adversarial but rather complementary. Kashani emphasized that the existing demand for automated deliveries far exceeds the number of available delivery robots, suggesting that the market has ample room for multiple robotic solutions to coexist. He noted that different robotic systems may prove optimal under distinct operating conditions and that exploring multiple configurations will allow the industry to identify the most efficient models for various delivery scenarios.
In a conversation with Business Insider, Kashani observed that Serve and its partners are collectively engaged in a process of experimentation, where each company will test diverse methodologies to discover which approach delivers the greatest logistical efficiency and consumer satisfaction. The overarching ambition, he explained, is to transform the utilization of delivery robots into a system that resembles how ride-hailing drivers navigate between competing platforms such as Uber and Lyft—adapting dynamically to shifting demand in order to maximize productivity and overall availability. Kashani articulated this vision succinctly: Serve aspires to function as a shared technological infrastructure, a neutral platform accessible to all businesses that wish to leverage robotic delivery as a service rather than being locked into a proprietary ecosystem.
This announcement evidently resonated with investors: Serve Robotics’ stock value surged by approximately 26 percent on Thursday following news of the collaboration. The company’s network of partnerships already extends beyond its major affiliations with Uber Eats and DoorDash. Serve also provides delivery services directly to restaurant and retail chains, including well-recognized brands such as 7-Eleven and Shake Shack, illustrating the company’s versatility across different market segments.
The developments surrounding Serve occur amid a broader surge in the deployment of autonomous vehicles across U.S. cities—a trend encompassing both ride-hailing robotaxis and compact self-driving delivery devices. Notably, companies like Waymo have expanded their robotaxi services to metropolitan areas such as Atlanta and Austin, making their vehicles available to Uber users earlier this year, while Tesla recently launched its long-anticipated robotaxi service in Austin. Meanwhile, smaller self-driving delivery vehicles—like those developed by Serve and DoorDash—are becoming increasingly visible on city sidewalks and streets, although industry leaders acknowledge that these machines face unique operational challenges. For instance, seamlessly transferring orders from restaurant staff to the autonomous robots remains a complex logistical hurdle that requires ongoing refinement.
DoorDash’s newly introduced robot, Dot, stands as an illustration of this rapidly evolving field. Roughly the size of a baby stroller, Dot is capable of traveling up to twenty miles per hour and is designed to navigate both sidewalks and designated cycling lanes. The robot embodies DoorDash’s commitment to developing in-house technological assets that complement its food delivery ecosystem.
Reflecting on the broader implications of these trends, Kashani posited that autonomous delivery may, in fact, represent a larger and more transformative market than ride-hailing. He pointed out that while self-driving cars designed to transport people have attracted much of the public’s attention, the movement of goods consumes an even greater portion of daily logistics. Almost every person, Kashani remarked, interacts with countless tangible products—whether food, groceries, or household items—every single day. Therefore, the automation of goods transportation, in his view, could equal or even surpass the long-term economic potential associated with passenger-focused autonomous vehicles. Through its expanding network of partnerships and relentless pursuit of scalable robotic solutions, Serve Robotics aims to redefine last-mile logistics, making on-demand delivery faster, more sustainable, and ubiquitously available across modern urban landscapes.
Sourse: https://www.businessinsider.com/serve-robotics-ceo-delivery-robots-are-bigger-business-than-robotaxis-2025-10
