Software-Defined Logistics: Also Secures $200M for Autonomous Delivery
Rivian spinoff 'Also' has secured $200 million in fresh funding, led by DoorDash and Greenoaks Capital, to build specialized autonomous delivery vehicles. The move signals a shift toward purpose-built hardware for the growing autonomous last-mile logistics sector.
The landscape of Software-Defined Vehicles (SDVs) is expanding into the niche world of last-mile delivery. 'Also,' a specialized spinoff from EV maker Rivian, has recently closed a significant $200 million funding round. Notably, the investment includes backing from DoorDash, suggesting a deep strategic interest from the world's largest delivery platforms in owning the hardware stack that powers their services.
Unlike traditional passenger vehicles retrofitted with sensors, Also is designing autonomous delivery bots from the ground up as software-defined entities. This allows for a tighter integration between the delivery fulfillment software and the vehicle’s drive-by-wire systems. By focusing on a specific duty cycle—short trips, frequent stops, and low-speed navigation—Also aims to solve the unit economics of delivery that have long plagued human-driven models. The total funding for the startup now exceeds $500 million, positioning it as a heavyweight contender in the race to automate the suburban and urban 'last mile' without the overhead of heavy-duty truck platforms.
Source: TechCrunch
