Over the next several months DoorDash robots will be rolling around downtown Fremont. Fremont City Council just approved a pilot program for the robots, called Dot.
The first phase is 1A, where three robots will be closely monitored and trained by human DoorDashers. City staff invites the bike community and other community members to ride along or walk along Dot to see how it interacts and senses them.
“I would just encourage transparency through the process to build trust with the community,” said Mayor Raj Salwan. “I think that’s key.”
Up to 30 robots will be monitored remotely during phase 1B. The robots’ routes include Fremont Boulevard and Paseo Padre. The street intersections are from Decoto to Stevenson. The robots will move at a speed of 15mph on bike lanes and roads and 3mph on sidewalks.
If people want to get a glimpse of how the robots operate, they will be featured during the city’s restaurant week, March 6 to 15.
The biggest concerns are safety issues. DoorDash representative Henry Greenridge said Dot will make stops at traffic lights and when pedestrians are nearby.
One member of a bike club said half of their group are seniors who are already worried about debris on the roads. She said the bots suddenly stopping will make the situation worse.
The robots will have cameras for a 360-degree view of their surroundings. Greenridge said the cameras do have an ability to record, but will work with the city about appropriate privacy policies.
Greenridge said the robots will probably not work well with people who have trouble walking and moving, and would only be able to reach doors at some homes.
The robots debuted in Arizona. San Ramon and Concord are the first Bay Area cities that tried out the robots. Councilmember Desrie Campbell suggested that city staff share stories from cities that have already deployed the robots, including what went well and what the cities learned.
