From CNBC, February 12:
- Waymo is paying gig workers from companies like DoorDash and Honk to help close the doors of its robotaxis.
- When a rider leaves a vehicle’s door ajar, it prevents the car from departing until a human closes it.
- Waymo, which is owned by Alphabet, plans to expand into several new U.S. cities this year.
Waymo’s cars are driven without humans. But when a departing passenger leaves a door open, the car won’t move until a person closes it.
For that task, Waymo is turning to gig workers from companies like DoorDash.
The Alphabet-owned self-driving car company confirmed on Thursday that it’s running a pilot in Atlanta to compensate delivery drivers for closing Waymo doors that are left ajar. DoorDash drivers are notified when a Waymo in the area has an open door so the vehicles can quickly get back on the road, the company said.
That acknowledgement came after a Reddit post showed a DoorDash driver in Atlanta was offered $11.25 to close the door of a nearby Waymo.
Waymo and DoorDash said in a joint statement to CNBC that they are always looking for new and flexible ways for DoorDash deliverers to earn money, adding that future Waymo vehicles will have automated door closures. Waymo didn’t say when that capability will arrive....
....MUCH MORE
