Waymo Partners With DoorDash to Pilot Robotaxi Door Closure in Atlanta
In Focus
- Waymo is paying DoorDash delivery drivers to close robotaxi doors
- The move to pay gig workers to close doors shows reliance on human intervention
- Waymo is offering Honk workers in Los Angeles $24 to close robotaxi doors
Autonomous driving company Waymo is testing a system that alerts nearby gig workers to close robotaxi doors. Waymo runs a fully driverless, 24-hour robotaxi service in several U.S. cities. However, if a passenger leaves a door open, the vehicle can’t resume service until it’s closed. According to Business Insider, the Alphabet-owned firm is running a Waymo DoorDash robotaxi door pilot in Atlanta.
Waymo Pays DoorDash Drivers to Close Robotaxi Doors
The Waymo robotaxi door closing gig will see the autonomous driving company compensate DoorDash delivery drivers for closing robotaxi doors that are left open. To enable Waymo vehicles to get back on the road quickly, the company will notify DoorDash drivers when a robotaxi within their area has an open door.
Confirming Waymo’s pilot program in Atlanta, a Reddit post indicated that a DoorDash driver got a $6.25 offer to drive to a Waymo vehicle and close its door in their queue. The robotaxi was less than a mile away. Once the action was completed, the driver would get an extra $5.
Commenting on the DoorDash drivers Waymo partnership, the two companies said they are always exploring ways for delivery drivers to earn money. Waymo plans to have automated door closures, but it’s not clear when that will happen. Last year, the two companies partnered in a driverless delivery trial in Phoenix.
Move Shows the Need for Human Intervention
Waymo’s reliance on gig workers to perform simple tasks like door closures shows how even the most advanced technologies still need human intervention. The autonomous driving firm, whose valuation hit $126 billion in the recent fundraise, is critical to Alphabet’s Other Bets segment.
The tech giant is relying on Other Bets to solve problems in industries like health and transportation with technology. Last week, Alphabet reported that Other Bets incurred a %7.5 billion operating loss in 2025, including a $2.1 billion Waymo stock-related compensation.
Waymo is also partnering with Honk to close robotaxi doors. Honk is a roadside assistance and towing platform whose contractors already handle maintenance tasks for its robotaxi fleet. The company reportedly offered to pay Honk workers in Los Angeles up to $24 (€20) to close a Waymo vehicle door.
Waymo’s Global Expansion Plans
Earlier this week, Waymo started deploying its next-generation robotaxis as it works towards expanding its U.S. lead. Currently, the company operates its fully autonomous robotaxi service in six U.S. markets and plans to expand to several more this year.
The company has over 1,500 fully autonomous vehicles operating in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Phoenix. The Alphabet-owned company also plans to expand globally, having mapped London roads with safety drivers ahead of a planned driverless launch this year. The company has also announced plans to deploy robotaxi services in Tokyo, Japan.
