$24 To Close A Door: How Waymo Is Paying Human Rescue Teams To Fix Robotaxi Flaws

[Courtesy of Waymo] The era of fully autonomous driving is no longer a distant dream. In major U.S. cities, driverless robotaxis are already carrying passengers on public roads, leading some to predict the eventual disappearance of the “driver” profession. The idea that technology will replace humans behind the wheel is becoming increasingly common. Reality, however, presents a slightly different picture. As robotaxis continue to expand, humans are being called back onto the streets in an unexpected role. They are not there to drive, but to handle simple tasks such as closing doors left open by passengers or restarting stalled vehicles. At the cutting edge of autonomous mobility, an unforeseen job category is emerging: the human rescue team.

[Courtesy of Waymo] Waymo, Google’s robotaxi service, has partnered with the towing app Honk to outsource assistance for vehicles that need help. Workers can earn up to $24 per incident for the relatively simple task of closing an open door. For more complex situations, such as restarting a disabled vehicle or towing it away, compensation typically ranges from $60 to $80. The most common reason for these interventions is surprisingly mundane. Passengers often fail to close doors properly when exiting. Without a human driver on board, robotaxis are programmed to remain stationary if a door is not fully shut, waiting for outside assistance. That is where Honk-dispatched workers step in. Cesar Marenco, owner of Milagro Towing in Inglewood, California, told The Washington Post that he handles an average of three Waymo-related calls per week through the Honk app. Most involve closing open doors or towing robotaxis that run out of battery power before reaching a charging station.

[Courtesy of Waymo] In Los Angeles, Evangelica Cuevas, who operates another towing company, performs similar work. The Washington Post has described these cases as symbolic of how automation can create new human jobs to fill technological gaps.

The robotaxi rescue phenomenon drew wider attention following a major power outage in San Francisco on December 21. When traffic lights across the city went dark, Waymo’s robotaxis interpreted the situation as a universal stop signal, resulting in widespread congestion on major roads.

[Courtesy of DepositPhotos] In response, Waymo said that while operations can continue during blackouts, additional verification is sometimes required to ensure safety. The company added that more than 25,000 rescue personnel worldwide have been trained on Waymo protocols. Not all workers are enthusiastic about these rescue assignments. Jesus Azuiniga, manager at Alpha Towing & Recovery in San Francisco, told The Washington Post that he has declined Waymo requests, citing fees that fall well below his standard $250 charge for towing four-wheel-drive vehicles.

[Courtesy of Waymo] With fuel and labor costs taken into account, questions remain about whether this work can serve as a stable source of income. For Waymo, ongoing reliance on human intervention also represents a significant cost burden. As a result, the company is reportedly considering replacing its current Jaguar I-PACE robotaxi fleet with new ZEEKR vehicles. Unlike the manually operated doors of the I-PACE, ZEEKR’s robotaxi features automatic sliding doors similar to those on a minivan, which could reduce the need for human assistance.

[Courtesy of Waymo] While new job opportunities are clearly emerging around robotaxi operations, their long-term future remains uncertain. These roles exist because of current technological limitations and may be among the first to disappear as autonomous systems mature. Ultimately, everything depends on the pace of progress. As the industry addresses each challenge, robotaxis may eventually be able to manage issues such as unclosed doors, malfunctioning traffic signals, and power outages on their own, fully realizing the promise of truly driverless transportation.