A gap in self-driving technology is exposing the limits of automation.
Gig workers in several U.S. cities are being paid to close Waymo robotaxi doors that won't drive off until fully closed.
A Reddit post claimed to show a DoorDash Inc. (NYSE: DASH) offer in downtown Atlanta asking a driver to locate a Waymo vehicle and shut the door. The listing included a $6.25 base payment and a $5 completion bonus.
Waymo, the self-driving unit of Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOGL) (NASDAQ: GOOG), has reportedly used similar workarounds in other cities. The company worked with the Honk roadside assistance app in Los Angeles to dispatch help, with drivers earning up to $24 to close a door, The Washington Post reported in December.
A Microeconomy Built On Small Tasks
These assignments have created a niche gig market. Workers may spend up to an hour locating a car before completing the task, the Post reported. In some cases, towing a disabled Waymo vehicle has brought in as much as $80.
Waymo spokesperson Katherine Barna reportedly told the Post the issues are "not too common" and the company is focused on "educating and informing our riders" to close the doors.
Small Fixes, Real-World Limits
During a power outage in San Francisco in December, traffic signals were inoperative across parts of the city, requiring law enforcement to direct traffic manually.
Waymo said its vehicles may request confirmation checks in uncertain conditions and a surge in those requests during the outage led to delays that contributed to congestion.
San Francisco Board of Supervisors member Bilal Mahmood said at a meeting of the governing body early this month that Waymo data submitted to the California Public Utilities Commission showed 1,593 stoppages in the affected area during the outage.
"Our public safety officers... they're becoming default roadside assistance for these vehicles, which we do not think is tenable," San Francisco Department of Emergency Management Director Mary Ellen Carroll said at the hearing.