Waymo is asking DoorDash drivers to lock the doors of its self-driving cars

It still feels like a technological marvel: Waymo’s self-driving cars are now ferrying passengers across six cities. Unfortunately, this driverless future comes with its own set of problems. These vehicles can become idle if a passenger accidentally leaves the door open.

According to a Reddit post, a DoorDash driver discovered this issue when a strange order appeared in their queue. Instead of making the delivery, the driver was offered $6.25 to drive less than a mile to a Waymo car and lock the door. After Completion Verification, they will receive an additional $5.

“The ‘door’ was actually smashed,” one commenter noted.

It seems so ridiculous that it can’t be real. Waymo’s vehicles represent technological breakthroughs that previously seemed unfathomable. The Alphabet-owned company just raised $16 billion to take its self-driving cars international!

But Waymo and DoorDash confirmed to TechCrunch that this Reddit post is legitimate. This is actually a real problem.

“Waymo is currently running a pilot program in Atlanta to enhance the efficiency of its autonomous vehicle fleet. In the rare event that a vehicle door is left partially open, preventing the vehicle from leaving, nearby Dashers are notified, allowing Waymo to quickly get its vehicles back on the road,” Waymo and DoorDash said in a joint response. (The closed-door partnership, which began earlier this year, is just one aspect of the broader relationship between Waymo and DoorDash. In October, the two companies launched an autonomous delivery service in Phoenix, where Waymo vehicles deliver food and groceries to DoorDash customers.)

If Waymo’s door is left open, it’s worth the company paying someone to close it — the car can’t complete any more trips if left immobile. Not to mention, an immobile vehicle can obstruct the flow of traffic.

This isn’t the first time Waymo has asked for help with door problems. And in Los Angeles, Waymo is working with Honk, an Uber-like app for towing services. According to reports, Honk users in Los Angeles were offered up to $24 to close a Waymo door, more than double what Atlanta DoorDash drivers get.

The company indicated that future Waymo cars will contain automatic door closing. But for now, gig workers are Waymo’s best bet.