Waymo Self-Driving Car Left Door Ajar—Saved by a Food Delivery Rider

Waymo has recently launched a pilot program in Atlanta, USA, to address a specific issue: when passengers fail to properly close the doors of its autonomous vehicles—preventing the car from driving—the system dispatches a special task to DoorDash delivery drivers. Upon arriving at the scene and assisting with closing the door, the driver receives a $6.25 service fee plus a $5 bonus. This initiative aims to boost earnings for delivery personnel and extends the existing partnership between Waymo and DoorDash, which began last October with autonomous vehicle food deliveries in Phoenix. Currently, Waymo is rolling out its sixth-generation autonomous driving system, featuring 42% fewer sensors and lower costs, and plans to surpass one million weekly orders by year-end. The company stated that future vehicles will include an automatic door-closing feature to fully resolve this issue.