Key Takeaways:
DoorDash invested in ALSO, a Rivian spinoff building purpose-built autonomous EVs for last-mile delivery, as part of a $200 million Series C that valued the company at over $1 billion.
DoorDash co-founder Stanley Tang joined ALSO's board as an observer, signaling strategic integration between the delivery platform and autonomous vehicle infrastructure.
ALSO's small EVs are designed for bike lanes and curbside spaces, carrying over 400 pounds with pedal-assist today and full autonomy planned for future models.
DoorDash invested in ALSO, a Rivian spinoff building purpose-built electric vehicles for last-mile delivery, as part of a $200 million Series C that valued the company at more than $1 billion. DoorDash co-founder Stanley Tang announced the investment and his role as a board observer, calling ALSO's approach "the most compelling autonomous delivery platform we've seen."
ALSO's vehicles are not traditional delivery vans or sidewalk robots. They're small, purpose-built EVs designed to operate in bike lanes and curbside spaces that full-size vehicles can't access. The current models use pedal-assist with a human operator and carry more than 400 pounds of cargo. Future versions are designed for full autonomous operation.
The investment connects two converging trends. DoorDash already operates its own Dot robot delivery technology in select markets. ALSO brings Rivian's vehicle engineering DNA to a form factor designed specifically for the spaces where last-mile delivery is hardest and most expensive. The combination targets the gap between sidewalk robots (which carry one or two bags) and delivery vans (which can't navigate narrow streets or bike infrastructure).
The timing matters because the same week DoorDash invested in autonomous delivery infrastructure, companies across the tech sector cut tens of thousands of jobs. The gig economy workforce that currently powers DoorDash deliveries is watching a company it works for invest in the technology designed to replace that work.
Waymo hit 500,000 paid rides per week this quarter, doubling in under a year. Zoox expanded to Austin and Miami. Uber announced Europe's first robotaxi service. Autonomous transportation is scaling at every level simultaneously, from passenger rides to package delivery.
The infrastructure works. The question no one is answering is what happens to the people it replaces.
People Also Ask
Q: What is ALSO and how is it related to Rivian? A: ALSO is a spinoff from Rivian that builds purpose-built electric vehicles for autonomous last-mile delivery. The vehicles are designed for bike lanes and curbside spaces, smaller than delivery vans but larger than sidewalk robots.
Q: How much did DoorDash invest in ALSO? A: DoorDash participated in ALSO's $200 million Series C round, which valued the company at over $1 billion. DoorDash co-founder Stanley Tang joined the board as an observer.
Q: Does DoorDash already use delivery robots? A: Yes. DoorDash operates its own Dot robot delivery technology in select markets. The ALSO investment adds a larger, purpose-built autonomous EV platform to its delivery infrastructure.
Q: How many autonomous rides does Waymo complete per week? A: Waymo reached 500,000 paid rides per week in Q1 2026, doubling from the prior year and hitting half of its year-end target of 1 million rides.
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