In Atlanta, a $6.25 gig reveals a small but telling flaw in the autonomous future.
Waymo’s robotaxis now ferry passengers across six U.S. cities.
But if a rider leaves the door open, the future literally stalls.
In Atlanta, Waymo is paying DoorDash drivers to close ajar doors on its self-driving cars, after a Reddit post revealed a $6.25 task to drive less than a mile and shut one. Upon “verified completion,” the driver earned an extra $5.
It sounds like satire. It isn’t.
Waymo and DoorDash confirmed the post is real. The door-closing gigs are part of a pilot program designed to keep Waymo’s autonomous vehicle (AV) fleet moving.
A Small Door, A Big Problem
In rare cases, a passenger exits and leaves a Waymo door open.
The vehicle won’t depart. It simply sits there.
- The car cannot complete additional rides.
- It risks blocking traffic.
- Fleet efficiency drops instantly.
For a company scaling across six cities and fresh off a staggering $16 billion raise, that’s not a rounding error. It’s a bottleneck.
“Waymo is currently running a pilot program in Atlanta to enhance its AV fleet efficiency,” the companies said in a joint statement. Nearby Dashers receive alerts when a door is left ajar, allowing Waymo to return vehicles to service quickly.
In other words: when software fails, call a human.
The Gig Economy Meets Autonomy
The partnership reflects a pragmatic reality. Even the most advanced driverless systems still rely on people for edge cases.
Think of it as roadside assistance for the algorithmic age.
- In Atlanta, Dashers earn roughly $11.25 total per completed door task.
- In Los Angeles, Waymo uses Honk, a towing-services app.
- Reports suggest L.A. users can earn up to $24 to close a Waymo door.
The irony is rich. One Reddit commenter quipped, “You actually ‘door’ dashed.”
But this isn’t just a punchline. It’s operational math. If a robotaxi remains immobilized, it generates zero revenue. Paying a gig worker a few dollars to restore service is cheaper than losing multiple fares — and far cheaper than gridlocking a busy street.
A Broader Waymo–DoorDash Alliance
The door-closing pilot isn’t a one-off fix.
In October, Waymo and DoorDash launched an autonomous delivery service in Phoenix, with Waymo vehicles delivering food and groceries directly to customers.
The companies are weaving autonomy into logistics step by step — sometimes literally.
For now, though, human intervention remains the safety net. Waymo says future vehicles will feature automated door closures, eliminating the need for gig-worker rescues.
Until then, the autonomous future occasionally needs someone to slam the door shut.
And that raises a broader question: if the last mile of autonomy still depends on humans, how autonomous are we, really?
TL;DR
Waymo is paying DoorDash drivers in Atlanta to close doors left open on its robotaxis, which cannot move if ajar. The confirmed pilot program highlights small but real operational gaps in autonomy. Similar programs run in L.A., and automated door fixes are coming — eventually.
AI summary
- Waymo robotaxis stall if doors are left open.
- DoorDash drivers in Atlanta get paid to close them.
- Pilot program confirmed by both companies.
- Similar efforts in L.A. via Honk app.
- Automated door solutions planned for future vehicles.
