Waymo, the Alphabet-owned autonomous vehicle company, has partnered with DoorDash to solve a peculiar problem: its self-driving cars can be rendered inert if a passenger accidentally leaves the door open.
According to a Reddit post, DoorDash drivers in Atlanta are being offered $6.25 to drive less than one mile to a Waymo vehicle and close its door, with an additional $5 bonus after completion. Waymo and DoorDash confirmed to TechCrunch that this is a real problem and a pilot program is in place to address it.
Waymo recently raised $16 billion to scale its robotaxi fleet internationally, and the company is working to enhance its AV fleet efficiency. In the rare event a vehicle door is left ajar, nearby Dashers are notified, allowing Waymo to get its vehicles back on the road quickly.
The Door-Closing Partnership
The partnership between Waymo and DoorDash began earlier this year and is just one facet of their 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, as the car cannot complete any more rides if it’s left immobile. Waymo also works with Honk, an app that’s like Uber for towing services, in Los Angeles, where users have been offered up to $24 to close a Waymo door.
Future Solutions
Waymo noted that its future vehicles will have automated door closures, but for now, gig workers are the company’s best bet. The partnership with DoorDash is a temporary solution to a unique problem, and it highlights the complexities of deploying autonomous vehicles in the real world.
