Waymo Robotaxis Face Navigation Challenges in Multiple Incidents

Waymo was recently forced to issue clarification on a troubling wave of incidents involving its autonomous robotaxis that has left doubt about their ability to navigate. In San Francisco, one AV repeatedly became ensnarled in the loop of a roundabout. At the same time, a second vehicle failed just in front of a motorcade for former Vice President Kamala Harris. Fortunately, there were no passengers in the vehicle that broke down right in front of the motorcade.

In addition to their work with the TBP, Waymo currently operates a commercial, shared, and driverless robotaxi service in San Francisco, Phoenix, and Los Angeles. On top of that, Austin’s partnership with Uber—yes, that Uber—paves the way for passenger robotaxis to operate in Austin. These collisions, though tragic, have forced the discussion on the pitfalls that the self-driving movement must conquer in a city setting.

In Santa Monica, California, a Waymo robotaxi made such a deep traffic jam outside a Chick-fil-A that it earned a police escort to clear the chaos. After the van dropped off a passenger in the parking lot, it struggled to perform a multi-point turn. The existing adjacent drive-through lane and the cars that were parked adjacent and behind made it extra difficult to maneuver. The situation escalated as other vehicles became trapped behind the robotaxi, leading to delays for customers looking to enter or exit the popular fast-food chain.

The challenges do not end there. Waymo robotaxis have made headlines for getting themselves stuck in parking lots. In one case, a number of trucks honked continuously for over an hour in the early morning hours. These events have led to an explosion of ride along videos on social media. They emphasize the difficulty that Waymo’s fleet has had at mastering difficult scenarios like multi-modal environments.

Waymo’s robotaxis allow us all to get a preview of the future, perhaps, of our transportation system. Recent occurrences show that they’re still having difficulty with their operation and maneuvering. At the same time, the company acknowledges that its vehicles periodically create traffic disruptions and disturbances. It begs the question of how ready they are for deployment at a massive scale.