DoorDash drivers are taking on more work that doesn't involve delivering
DoorDash is expanding the role of its gig workers to include non-delivery tasks, such as assisting autonomous vehicles and performing inventory checks. The company reports that workers have completed over 5 million of these supplemental tasks since 2024.
Why it matters
This strategy highlights how gig economy platforms are diversifying their labor models to support the growing infrastructure of autonomous systems and robotics.
DoorDash is providing more ways for gig workers to earn cash, including by assisting autonomous systems such as robotaxis and delivery bots. Bloomberg/Getty Images DoorDash workers can take on smaller tasks between deliveries to earn more cash. The company said that drivers have completed 5 million tasks since 2024. Some of the tasks include helping autonomous robots and, now, completing item returns. DoorDash workers are increasingly doing more than just delivering as the company adds new services and autonomous offerings. At the company's San Francisco headquarters on Tuesday, Cody Aughney, DoorDash's vice president of dasher & logistics, said its gig workers — known as Dashers — have completed more than 5 million tasks that didn't involve traditional delivery work since 2024. Aughney said those tasks include assisting autonomous vehicles and helping retailers get updated photos of their shelves and inventory.
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