Rivian Spinoff Also to Develop Autonomous Delivery Vehicles for DoorDash

Also, a micromobility company spun out of Rivian, will work with DoorDash to develop autonomous delivery vehicles, with DoorDash taking a seat on Also's board and investing in the company's $200 million Series C funding round.

The deal brings Also's total funding to $505 million, with its valuation exceeding $1 billion.

Also was created inside Rivian in 2022 as a skunkworks project to build an electric bike, but has since expanded its product line to include small, pedal-assist delivery vehicles. The company's first product is a high-end e-bike, but it has also shown off designs for small, electric delivery vehicles that can carry up to 400 pounds of packages.

Amazon, a major investor in and partner with Rivian, placed an order for thousands of these delivery vehicles last year. Also has said that these vehicles can fit in a bike lane, making them an attractive option for urban delivery.

The DoorDash deal is the first indication that Also will be developing autonomous versions of its small electric vehicles. Rivian founder RJ Scaringe and Also CEO Chris Yu told TechCrunch last year that almost any form factor was on the table, within practical limits.

Rivian and Also have said that the micromobility startup would leverage the automaker's tech in its products, as well as its retail presence and economies of scale. It's not clear if Also will leverage the autonomy tech that Rivian has been working on.

TechCrunch has reached out to both Rivian and Also for comment and will update this story if they respond.

"We are excited to partner with DoorDash to bring autonomous delivery vehicles to market," said Chris Yu, CEO of Also.

• Also's autonomous delivery vehicles will likely use a mix of cameras, ultrasonic sensors, radar, and eventually lidar to bring autonomy to its vehicles.
• Rivian has developed its own custom silicon and autonomy computer in an effort to make its own vehicles increasingly capable of self-driving.
• It's not clear if Also will use this chip or if DoorDash will handle the autonomous tech.
• DoorDash has its own autonomy department and has spent several years developing a robot vehicle called Dot that can autonomously drive on roads, bike lanes, and sidewalks.

The DoorDash deal is a significant milestone for Also, which has quickly established itself as a major player in the micromobility space. With its total funding now exceeding $500 million, the company is well-positioned to continue innovating and pushing the boundaries of what is possible with electric and autonomous vehicles.