Some Waymo riders are so lazy that gig workers are getting paid $24 to close the door for them

(Credit: Steve Jennings—Getty Images)

The hit 1985 sci-fi film Back to the Future promised us flying cars and hoverboards by 2015. A decade later, we have automatic vehicles that crash into poles and require a monthly subscription to adjust your seat.

Today, it might take two cars to complete a trip: the robotaxi that drops you off, and another dispatched to close the door after you step out. Some robotaxi customers are so lazy, it turns out, that Waymo has teamed up with DoorDash to send drivers to close the doors of automatic vehicles rendered immobile.