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Alphabet Inc.’sWaymo is enlisting DoorDash Inc. drivers in Atlanta to close robotaxi doors that have been left open, letting the driverless vehicles continue on their way.
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A driver in Atlanta recently received a DoorDash offer paying US$11.25 to close an open Waymo vehicle door, according to a screenshot of the DoorDash driver app posted to social media site Reddit. “No pickup or delivery required,” the screenshot read.
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DoorDash and Waymo confirmed that the door-closing task is part of a pilot partnership that began earlier this year.
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“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 in a joint statement.
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The companies declined to comment on whether Waymo is paying for these jobs, but said the payment structure “is designed to ensure competitive and fair compensation for Dashers.”
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The pilot is another example of the new types of partnerships with gig economy companies that are emerging to support the growing robotaxi industry, led in the United States by Waymo. While it’s unclear when robots might fully replace human drivers and delivery couriers, today’s autonomous vehicle fleets still rely heavily on human labour for their upkeep. Technicians at car depots are needed daily to clean, charge and maintain the cars.
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Waymo has partnered with companies including DoorDash and ridehailer Uber Technologies Inc. to support various parts of its services. Waymo offers driverless rides to customers on the Uber app in Atlanta, Phoenix and Austin, where Uber-backed fleet management companies employ workers to run depot operations. Waymo also has a separate autonomous delivery partnership with DoorDash in Phoenix.
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It’s uncertain whether DoorDash’s independent contractors will play a long-term role in Waymo’s operations across more U.S. markets. “Ultimately, Waymo’s future vehicle platforms will have automated door closures,” the companies said in the statement.
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