Waymo Partners DoorDash for Robotaxi Door Closures in Atlanta

In Atlanta, Alphabet Inc.'s Waymo has launched a pilot program partnering with DoorDash Inc. to enlist delivery drivers in closing doors left open on its driverless robotaxis, a measure aimed at quickly resolving rare operational hiccups and restoring fleet efficiency.

The initiative came to light earlier this week through a social media post on Reddit, where a DoorDash driver shared a screenshot of an unusual job offer. The task required traveling less than a mile to a Waymo vehicle and securing its door, with no food pickup or delivery involved. The offer included a guaranteed payment of $6.25 upon acceptance and an additional $5 bonus upon verified completion, totaling $11.25. The driver noted that declining the offer would not impact their job acceptance rating on the app.

Waymo and DoorDash confirmed the program's existence in a joint statement, describing it as a limited trial that began earlier this year. "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," the companies said. An open door halts the robotaxi's operations, preventing it from accepting...