Title: Passenger Nearly Misses Flight Due to Waymo's Circular Driving Misadventure
This L.A.-based tech entrepreneur, Mike Johns, had an unfortunate encounter with Waymo's driverless taxi service last month. Instead of heading to the airport as planned, he found himself stuck in a monotonous loop, with the car circling a certain spot like a broken record. The entire ordeal left him almost missing his flight back home, and he shared his experience on LinkedIn, complete with a video showcasing the unnerving situation.
The circular travail lasted around five minutes, according to Waymo, which owns the service and falls under Google's parent company, Alphabet. The company reached out to Johns, but their attempts to connect have yet to bear fruit. As a token of goodwill, Waymo didn't charge him for the fare.
Johns described the situation as reminiscent of a sci-fi thriller, expressing his frustration and disappointment. He also mentioned a lack of empathy and human connection from the technical support he encountered during the ordeal.
Interestingly, this isn't the first time Waymo's autonomous vehicles have shown signs of confusion and getting stuck in loops. In December, a Waymo car appeared to get lost in an Arizona roundabout, circling at least 37 times without a passenger on board.
There have been more concerning incidents involving driverless cars, such as a Waymo colliding with a cyclist in San Francisco back in 2024, and another incident where a Waymo hit a telephone pole, prompting a recall of the company's mapping tech.[1][2][3]
Johns' experience underscores the ongoing challenges in the development of autonomous driving technology. From a passenger's perspective, it can be challenging to discern the precise cause of these technical mishaps. For instance, during a recent ride in a Waymo in L.A., the car abruptly changed its course, darting off just as I was about to enter the vehicle. It decided to pick me up in a turn lane, a decision that a human driver might consider risky.
Despite the hurdles, service providers like Waymo continue to push the boundaries of autonomous driving to reduce costs and eventually replace human drivers completely. Initially, these services can be more affordable than traditional options like Uber and Lyft, but eventually, prices might increase once the human driver workforce is no longer necessary. Time, as always, waits for no one.
[1] Waymo Driverless Car Gets Stuck in a Loop, Causes Passenger's Flight Delay - ABC15 Arizona[2] Mike Johns' Frustrating Experience with Waymo's Driverless Taxi - CBS News Los Angeles[3] Technological Glitch Causes Waymo Car to Get Stuck in a Loop - The Verge
In the future, artificial intelligence and technology in autonomous vehicles like Waymo's may require significant improvements to ensure smoother operations and eliminate loops or technical mishaps. The current challenges in developing autonomous driving technology highlight the need for tech companies to prioritize empathy and human connection in their technical support.