Uber, Lyft, and DoorDash say self-driving tech is the future — and they'll need to spend big to make it happen

Tech Insider : Economy, Business, Technology
One of DoorDash's Dot robots, which features a red exterior, cameras and other sensors in front of and above it, four wheels, as well as two eye-like lights in the front, sits in a conference room at a company office.
Autonomous technology, such as Dot, DoorDash's delivery robot, will take investment to roll out broadly.

Alex Bitter/BI

DoorDash makes its corporate staff moonlight as delivery workers. It's led to big changes to the app.

Tech Insider : Economy, Business
A man walks past a house's garage while wearing a black coat and carrying a red DoorDash bag
DoorDash corporate employees make deliveries through the company's WeDash program.

Illustration by Emily Dulla/Getty Images for DoorDash

DoorDash's plans to spend big on tech upgrades and delivery robots in 2026 are spooking Wall Street

Tech Insider : Economy, Business, Technology
A large sculpture of a red DoorDash delivery bag sits on a sidewalk in Los Angeles as people walk by.
DoorDash said its spending on new initiatives in 2026 will be significantly more than this year.

Chelsea Guglielmino/Getty Images

Waymo's robotaxis have a new job: Delivering your food

Tech Insider : Business, Style
Waymo car on road
Waymo is partnering with DoorDash to bring food deliveries via robot taxis.

Charly Triballeau/AFP via Getty Images

I'm 81 and live in my RV for half the year. I didn't save enough for retirement, so I stay afloat by 'work camping' and DoorDash driving.

Tech Insider : Economy, Business, Travel
Richard Smith
Richard Smith work camps for half of the year in New Hampshire.

Richard Smith

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Richard Smith, 81, who works part-time for the campground where he lives for half of the year and part-time driving for DoorDash. The following has been edited for length and clarity.

Serve Robotics' CEO explains why delivery could be a bigger opportunity than robotaxis

Tech Insider : Business, Technology, Travel
A woman holds a paper shopping bag above one of Serve's four-wheeled delivery robots, which has a white body with a red, triangular flag above it.
Serve Robotics is launching a partnership with DoorDash.

Serve

DoorDash says its new self-driving delivery robot has a special feature: Cuteness

Tech Insider : Business, Economy, Sports
Dot, DoorDash's self-driving delivery robot, with a red outer shell, four black wheels, and two LED lights on its front that look like eyes, drives along a road.
Dot, DoorDash's autonomous delivery robot.

DoorDash

After 20 years in sales at companies like Tesla and Wells Fargo, I'm DoorDashing to support my daughters

Tech Insider : Business
Ilya Brunshteyn with two daughters
Ilya Brunshteyn, a former salesperson, has two daughters.

Ilya Brunshteyn

I'm 53 and have been job searching for 14 months. I'm part of the group applying, praying, hoping, and begging for a chance to work.

Tech Insider : Business
Kevin Hannegan
Kevin Hannegan

Kevin Hannegan

The White House Keeps a ‘Loyalty’ Scorecard for Companies: Report

Gizmodo : Politics
Trump meets with Tim Cook in the Oval Office.
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