DoorDash drivers are getting paid to close Waymo car doors

Waymo’s fleet of robo-taxis can transport passengers to various destinations without a human driver at the wheel.

However, when it comes to closing the car door, Waymo’s self-driving cars apparently still need help from humans. And humans who work on DoorDash can now get paid to close Waymo car doors.

On Reddit earlier this week, a Redditor from the subreddit community for DoorDash workers called r/DoorDash_Dasher shared a screenshot of an offer they just received in the DoorDash app. The gig paid $11.25 to drive to a Waymo vehicle nine minutes away and close the car door.

Alphabet, the parent company of Google, which owns Waymo, has confirmed CNBC that it was currently running a pilot program in Atlanta in which the company pays DoorDash drivers to close doors left ajar on Waymo vehicles. According to the company, DoorDash drivers are notified when there is a Waymo car nearby that needs help closing the door so the vehicle can get back on the road.

Waymo says that in the future, Waymo vehicles will be equipped with self-closing doors, but did not provide a timeline for its rollout.

Currently based in Atlanta gig workers can earn money by simply closing Waymo car doors left open by the previous passenger. However, Los Angeles workers looking to make the most money by closing their self-driving car doors should check out roadside assistance app Honk. According to a precedent Washington Post report, Honk workers who service Waymo vehicles there are paid up to $24, or $12.75 more than DoorDash Dashers, to simply close the door of a Waymo vehicle.