Waymo Pays DoorDash Drivers $11 to Close Robotaxi Doors Left Open by Riders
DoorDash couriers in Atlanta are now receiving unusual offers amid the usual stream of restaurant and grocery orders: short-distance trips to track down a nearby Waymo robotaxi and shut its open door. Screenshots shared by drivers show payouts around 11 dollars for completing the task, typically combining a guaranteed base payment of 6.25 dollars and a 5 dollar bonus once Waymo verifies the door has been closed.
The job listings, delivered through the DoorDash app, explicitly state that there is “no pickup or delivery required,” instructing workers simply to drive to the pinned location of the vehicle, close the door, and confirm completion in the app. One driver reported being offered 11.25 dollars to travel less than a mile for the task, turning a 5–10 minute errand into a quick micro-gig.
Why Waymo Needs Human Help
Waymo’s fully driverless robotaxis can navigate city streets, pick up passengers, and handle traffic on their own, but they still rely on a human to shut their doors if a rider forgets. If any door is left open or slightly ajar, the vehicle is programmed not to move, effectively freezing it in place until someone physically closes it.
That safety feature avoids the risk of driving with an unlatched door, but it can also sideline a vehicle in the middle of a busy street or at a curb, creating both traffic headaches and lost revenue for the service. Previously, Waymo often depended on tow truck operators or other contracted help to resolve these incidents, at reported costs closer to 22–24 dollars per call, making the DoorDash arrangement significantly cheaper and faster
How the Pilot Program Works
According to a joint statement from Waymo and DoorDash, the companies are testing the program in Atlanta as part of a broader effort to improve the efficiency of Waymo’s autonomous fleet. In the “rare event” that a passenger leaves a door open and the car cannot depart, nearby DoorDash drivers are automatically notified and can choose to accept the door-closing job like any other gig.businessinsider+4
Once a driver accepts, the app directs them to the stranded robotaxi’s GPS location, where they close the door and then confirm the task so the vehicle can resume operations. Waymo says future generations of its vehicles will include automated door-closing systems, but it has not given a timeline for when that technology will be rolled out.
Symbol of a Hybrid Future
The door-closing pilot has quickly become a social media talking point, with critics arguing it exposes the current limits of self-driving technology and the degree to which “driverless” systems still depend on human labor in the background. Supporters frame it as a pragmatic workaround: a small, paid task that gives gig workers another way to earn money while keeping autonomous vehicles on the road.
For now, the program turns a mundane act—shutting a car door—into a paid micro-job sitting at the intersection of robotics, on-demand labor, and urban transportation policy. As Waymo expands its robotaxi service to more cities, similar arrangements could become a recurring part of the business model, at least until the cars can finally close their own doors.
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