DoorDash Buys Autonomous Tech Startup

Food delivery specialist DoorDash Inc. has acquired Scotty Labs, a Silicon Valley-based startup that’s developing technology for self-driving and remotely controlled vehicles. Terms of the deal weren’t disclosed.

Formed in 2016, Scotty says it began testing its remote-control technology on public roads in California earlier this year. The company includes former engineers from Apple, Cruise Automation, Google, NASA and SRI International.

DoorDash has made several acquisitions and partnerships related to automated vehicles in recent years. In January, the company partnered with General Motors Co.’s Cruise Automation unit on a pilot program that uses specially equipped Chevrolet Bolt electric delivery cars with backup drivers onboard.

Earlier this month, DoorDash purchased Lvl5, a Redwood City, Calif.-based startup specializing in high-definition maps for autonomous vehicles. That deal was mainly to bring onboard Lvl5’s co-founders Andrew Kouri and Erik Reed, both of whom previously worked at Tesla.

DoorDash also acquired the on-demand delivery platform Caviar for $410 million this year. In 2017, DoorDash partnered with Starship Technologies to test that company’s autonomous delivery pods, which are about the size of a portable ice chest.

Delivery and ride-hailing companies are exploring the use of autonomous vehicles to eliminate the cost of human drivers. DoorDash angered employees this year for reportedly repurposing customer tips to pay wages.