Waymo to drive DoorDash deliveries in Phoenix: self-driving cars hit the streets

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• What the DoorDash deal brings to Phoenix
• How a Waymo delivery actually works
• Launch scope and planned expansion
• How this compares to past Waymo pilots
• Why this matters for riders and retailers
• Operational and adoption questions to watch
  • Key metrics observers will track
• How Waymo’s mobility business ties in

Waymo’s self-driving fleet will soon do more than ferry people in Phoenix. A fresh collaboration with DoorDash will let customers choose autonomous vehicles as a delivery option, bringing groceries and convenience items from DashMart to riders in the city.

What the DoorDash deal brings to Phoenix

Waymo and DoorDash are launching a program that routes some DoorDash orders into Waymo’s driverless cars. At first, deliveries will be drawn from DoorDash’s DashMart inventory. The move gives Waymo vehicles work when they aren’t carrying passengers and tests a new last-mile model in a city where Waymo already runs robotaxis.

How a Waymo delivery actually works

The user experience differs from a typical doorstep drop-off. Customers must select autonomous delivery at checkout in the DoorDash app. When the Waymo vehicle arrives, the recipient leaves their home to retrieve the package from the car.

• Order through DoorDash: Choose DashMart items and opt in to autonomous delivery.
• Meet the vehicle: The delivery is completed when the customer collects the order from the car’s trunk or cargo area.
• No curb-to-door service: Doorstep handoffs aren’t available with this mode.

This pickup requirement echoes other autonomous delivery pilots and may change who adopts the option.

Launch scope and planned expansion

Initially limited to DashMart products, the service is positioned to expand to local merchants over time. Waymo and DoorDash expect the selection to widen, but the earliest phase will emphasize convenience and grocery items.

• Phase one: DashMart convenience and grocery items only.
• Later phases: Additional Phoenix retailers and broader menus.

How this compares to past Waymo pilots

Waymo has run food delivery tests before. A 2024 pilot with Uber Eats used similar handoff rules and limited menus. That effort, like the DoorDash test, paired autonomous driving tech with an existing delivery platform rather than building a standalone service.

Earlier, Waymo explored long-haul autonomous trucking in 2020. That project was scaled back in 2023 so the company could focus on robotaxis and its core Waymo Driver software. These DoorDash and Uber Eats tests suggest Waymo still sees value in parcel and meal delivery at a smaller scale.

Why this matters for riders and retailers

• For consumers: Autonomous delivery could lower costs and free up drivers for other tasks. But the pickup requirement removes the curb-to-door convenience many users expect.
• For retailers: Partnering with Waymo may offer new routing options and lower delivery times in Phoenix areas served by Waymo’s fleet.
• For Waymo: These pilots diversify use cases for its vehicles and help monetize idle time between rides.

Operational and adoption questions to watch

Several practical issues will determine success. Security of unattended packages, urban routing, and the customer willingness to walk out and fetch orders will shape uptake. Regulators and local rules in Phoenix will also play a role.

Key metrics observers will track

• Delivery completion rates versus human drivers.
• Customer satisfaction scores for autonomous pickups.
• Expansion speed to non-DashMart merchants.

How Waymo’s mobility business ties in

Waymo operates Waymo One, a robotaxi service in Arizona, and has sometimes integrated with third-party ride apps. This DoorDash tie-up is another expression of the company’s strategy to apply its driving stack across different services.

Using the same core software for ride-hailing and delivery lets Waymo test economics and scale in real-world conditions.