Boston Dynamics is experimenting with Spot as a delivery robot that walks from the van to the front door.
Boston Dynamics is currently testing its four-legged robot, Spot, to function as a delivery worker by transporting packages from vans to doorsteps, specifically focusing on the last 50 feet of delivery. The company shared a video showcasing a human driver loading packages onto a conveyor belt situated on Spot's back, after which the robot walks to homes and rotates the belt to drop off the packages. This initiative aims to automate what Boston Dynamics refers to as the “porch gap.”
Marco da Silva, Boston Dynamics' vice president and general manager for Spot, remarked in a statement that while much of logistics is already automated, they believe the final challenge lies within that last 50 feet. The company is in discussions with significant logistics firms to evaluate Spot for last-mile deliveries. Spot has been previously deployed for tasks such as security patrols at the World Cup, site inspections, and hazardous material assessments.
Spot's advantages over wheeled delivery robots and drones stem from its legs, enabling it to navigate curbs, stairs, gravel, snow, and ice. The conveyor payload features sensors that allow the robot to divide a single load into several doorstep deliveries, in addition to a small tray that ensures packages are set down gently. Boston Dynamics claims Spot can carry two parcels at a time, which should suffice for at least 60 percent of the packages typically found in an average delivery van.
The company aims for a full pilot program where Spot collaborates with a driver to deliver 200 packages daily across five days. Initially, routes will be driven manually and then saved for Spot to autonomously replicate them at known addresses. For every three packages delivered by Spot, Boston Dynamics estimates the driver will have space for one additional package in the van, thereby enhancing efficiency without increasing staffing levels.
The porch gap presents challenges that other companies are also addressing. DoorDash has been utilizing Dot, its autonomous delivery robot, for certain deliveries in Arizona since late 2025. However, the compact wheeled robot can fit through doorframes but cannot climb stairs. Last year, DoorDash CEO Tony Xu noted that loading deliveries into autonomous vehicles and moving them from curbs to doorsteps remain the most difficult aspects of automating the delivery process.
Spot's price is approximately $75,000, making the economic viability of using it for package deliveries reliant on the number of routes it can service daily and whether logistics companies are prepared to pay a premium to mitigate driver fatigue and enhance delivery efficiency. Now fully owned by Hyundai, Boston Dynamics has been progressively broadening Spot’s commercial utility, with delivery potentially representing its most customer-facing application to date.
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Boston Dynamics is experimenting with Spot as a delivery robot that walks from the van to the front door.
Boston Dynamics equipped Spot with a conveyor belt to transport packages from delivery vans to front doors, focusing on the final 50 feet of the logistics process.