It still feels like a technological marvel: Waymo’s autonomous cars are now transporting passengers across six cities. Alas, this driverless future comes with its own set of problems. These vehicles can be rendered inert if a passenger accidentally leaves the door open.
According to a Reddit post, one DoorDash driver discovered this issue when an odd request appeared in their queue. Instead of making a delivery, the driver was offered $6.25 to drive less than one mile to a Waymo vehicle and close its door. After “verified completion,” they would get an extra $5.
“You actually ‘door’ dashed,” one commenter noted.
It seems too ironic to be real. Waymo vehicles represent technological breakthroughs that once seemed unfathomable. The Alphabet-owned company just raised $16 billion to take its driverless cars international!
But Waymo and DoorDash confirmed to TechCrunch that this Reddit post is legitimate. This is, in fact, a real problem.
“Waymo is currently running a pilot program in Atlanta to enhance its AV fleet efficiency. In the rare event a vehicle door is left ajar, preventing the car from departing, nearby Dashers are notified, allowing Waymo to get its vehicles back on the road quickly,” Waymo and DoorDash said in a joint response. (The door-closing partnership, which began earlier this year, is just one facet of Waymo and DoorDash’s broader relationship. In October, the companies launched an autonomous delivery service in Phoenix, where Waymo vehicles deliver food and groceries to DoorDash customers.)
If a Waymo door is left open, it’s worth it to the company to pay someone to close it — the car cannot complete any more rides if it’s left immobile. Not to mention, an unmoving car could block the flow of traffic.
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This isn’t the first time Waymo has enlisted help with its door troubles. In Los Angeles, Waymo works with Honk, an app that’s like Uber for towing services. According to reports, Honk users in L.A. have been offered up to $24 to close a Waymo door — more than double what Atlanta DoorDash drivers receive.
The company noted that Waymo’s future vehicles will have automated door closures. But for now, gig workers are Waymo’s best bet.
