TLDRs:
- Robomart launches RM5 autonomous robot with $3 flat delivery fee to rival Uber Eats and DoorDash.
- The RM5 can carry 500 pounds and handle multiple orders simultaneously via 10 lockers.
- Austin, Texas, will be the first market for Robomart’s autonomous marketplace rollout.
- Founder Ali Ahmed highlights up to 70% cost savings compared to human delivery drivers.
Robomart, the Los Angeles-based startup specializing in self-driving delivery technology, has unveiled its newest autonomous vehicle, the RM5, designed to shake up the crowded on-demand delivery sector.
Unlike traditional food delivery services, Robomart offers a flat $3 delivery fee, aiming to attract both customers and retailers by simplifying costs and eliminating multiple fees often added by platforms like Uber Eats or DoorDash.
The RM5 is a level-four autonomous vehicle capable of carrying up to 500 pounds. Its design includes 10 individual lockers for storing customer orders, allowing the robot to complete multiple deliveries in a single trip. The approach is intended to increase efficiency and profitability for Robomart while addressing a common pain point in existing delivery models of high costs and complex fees.
The rise of the robots!
Introducing Robomart RM5–the most advanced delivery robot ever built. L4 fully autonomous. Road-going. 5 million mile track record. 500lbs capacity. 10 lockers. Batched orders. Multiple retailers on a single run.
Read more: https://t.co/xk4Cf0BU22 pic.twitter.com/eDiOOSYEbj
— Ali – r/acc (@robotica1i) August 25, 2025
On-Demand Model With Retail Partnerships
Robomart’s business strategy is centered on an autonomous marketplace model. Retailers can open digital storefronts on Robomart’s app, similar to the Uber Eats or DoorDash experience.
Once orders are placed, the RM5 robot completes deliveries directly from the robotic vehicle to the customer, removing the need for human drivers and reducing operational expenses.
Ali Ahmed, Robomart’s co-founder and CEO, explained that the company aims to make on-demand delivery economically viable.
“Our robots bring the cost of a delivery down by up to 70%,” Ahmed said.
He noted that a human driver earning $18 an hour translates to $9–10 per delivery hour in costs, whereas automation drastically reduces this expenditure.
Robomart plans to begin onboarding retailers in Austin, Texas, in the coming months before rolling out the delivery service later this year. The move expands the company’s operations from its earlier “store on wheels” model, which brought mobile autonomous stores stocked with groceries, pharmacy items, and ice cream directly to consumers.
Robotic Competition Heating Up
While Robomart is relatively new, its entry into the autonomous delivery market coincides with major players like Uber Eats and DoorDash experimenting with similar technologies.
DoorDash has been piloting Coco, a small cooler-like robot in Los Angeles and Chicago, completing over 100,000 deliveries in testing phases. Uber Eats has also partnered with robotics companies for limited autonomous deliveries.
Despite these developments, Robomart’s RM5 differentiates itself through its cost structure and marketplace approach. By offering a single, flat $3 fee and integrating multiple retailer storefronts, Robomart hopes to attract both consumers frustrated with hidden fees and merchants seeking more efficient delivery solutions.
Funding and Future Plans
Founded in 2017, Robomart has grown cautiously, raising just under $5 million from investors such as Hustle Fund, SOSV, and Wasabi Ventures. This funding has enabled the company to develop five generations of delivery robots and build its autonomous marketplace concept.
Ahmed emphasized that this approach reflects both careful innovation and strategic cost-cutting.
“We have been able to achieve a lot with very little funding, building the first autonomous marketplace for the road,” he said.
With a growing appetite for faster, greener, and more economical delivery solutions, Robomart’s RM5 could represent the next step in transforming the logistics of urban food and retail delivery.
