Waymo’s New Gig: Paying Humans to Close Robot Doors

In the ever-evolving gig economy, the next side hustle is here—CNBC reports that DoorDash drivers in Phoenix are now getting paid to close Waymo robotaxi doors. Yes, you read that right. Tech might be rewriting the rules of transportation, but sometimes, even the most advanced AI needs a little help from us. Turns out, robotaxis can navigate city streets with ease but struggle when passengers leave doors open. Waymo’s answer? Cue the gig workers for a “door-closing-as-a-service” mission.

Here’s how it works: If a passenger exits a Waymo and forgets to close the door, the car pings DoorDash. Instead of delivering takeout, a Dasher diverts to the robotaxi, closes the door, and voilà—$4 earned, one trip at a time. It’s not the most lucrative job, but it’s one of the easiest, and for Dashers already on the move, it’s the ultimate quick hustle. Think of it as the perfect mashup of high-tech and everyday hustle, a gig that takes more hustle than muscle.

But why can’t the robots just close their own doors? Some luxury cars have self-closing tech, but retrofitting an entire “futuristic fleet” is costly and complicated. Waymo’s program is a clever workaround, letting gig workers keep the city’s robotaxis rolling by handling the one task technology hasn’t mastered—dealing with a bit of good old human forgetfulness.

There’s something fitting (and pretty funny) about billion-dollar technology relying on the community to do what sensors and code can’t. It’s a glimpse of a future where automation and hustle live side by side, and new gigs pop up to support our robotic coworkers. Maybe today it’s closing doors. Tomorrow, it could be rescuing delivery drones or untangling sidewalk robots.

So if you spot someone in Phoenix closing the door on an empty Waymo, you’re witnessing innovation in action—everyday people, community strong, keeping the future moving one door at a time.