"But until that happens, Waymo, the leader among robotaxi companies, has to deal with an old-school problem that few probably imagined would need fixing: doors that aren't closed properly. The Alphabet-owned autonomous vehicle ride-sharing operator uses Jaguar I-Pace EVs exclusively for public rides, which have traditional doors that need to be closed by a human being. No fancy motors or actuators. And for safety reasons, a Waymo robotaxi will not move an inch if one of its doors isn't closed all the way."
"That's not ideal, especially in situations like the one that happened recently in San Francisco. A huge power outage took out traffic lights, forcing Waymo robotaxis to call back home for assistance while sitting in intersections. Some riders understandably got fed up and ended their rides early, leaving the door partly closed as they walked away. The solution? Pay other people to rescue Waymos by closing their doors."
Waymo's robotaxi fleet uses Jaguar I-Pace EVs with traditional, manually closed doors. For safety, the vehicles refuse to move if any door is not fully closed. Occasional riders end trips early or leave doors ajar, and incidents such as power outages can cause vehicles to stall in intersections awaiting remote assistance. To resolve blocked vehicles and reduce traffic disruption, Waymo contracts gig workers through the Honk app to physically close doors, paying about $20–$24 in Los Angeles. Tow operators and other helpers have been dispatched to free stuck robotaxis, sometimes resolving issues like seat belts caught in doors.
Read at insideevs.com
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