Waymo is paying DoorDash drivers in Atlanta to close the doors of its self-driving robotaxis after passengers leave them open, temporarily disabling the vehicles.
The Alphabet-owned autonomous vehicle company confirmed the pilot program in February 2026 after a Reddit post showed a DoorDash offer of $6.25 — plus a $5 completion bonus — to close a nearby Waymo vehicle door.
The DX Brief
- Waymo confirmed it is running a pilot program in Atlanta that notifies nearby DoorDash drivers when a robotaxi door is left ajar.
- When a Waymo door remains open, the vehicle’s safety systems prevent it from moving, taking the car out of service until someone physically closes it.
- A DoorDash driver shared a screenshot showing an $11.25 payout to drive less than a mile and shut a Waymo door. Waymo and DoorDash later confirmed the arrangement to TechCrunch.
- The companies said the program is designed to “enhance its AV fleet efficiency” and get stalled vehicles back on the road quickly.
- Waymo previously used roadside assistance platform Honk in Los Angeles for similar tasks, where gig workers reportedly earned up to $24 per door closure.
- Waymo currently operates fully driverless robotaxis in Atlanta, Austin, Los Angeles, Miami, Phoenix and the San Francisco Bay Area, completing roughly 400,000 rides per week.
- The company plans to expand into additional cities, including Dallas, in 2026. Waymo said future vehicle models will include automated door-closing capabilities but provided no timeline.
Waymo’s Atlanta pilot comes as the company continues to navigate regulatory scrutiny elsewhere. As previously reported by The Dallas Express, federal investigators opened a probe in January after Waymo vehicles in Austin passed stopped school buses with flashing signals activated.
No injuries or traffic incidents have been reported in connection with the open-door issue.
