Two men in San Francisco stalled a Waymo driverless taxi by standing in front of the vehicle and refusing to move, attempting to catcall a female passenger inside.
The incident, reported by PCMag, was shared by the passenger, Amina V., who posted a video on Twitter/X as a warning to others. The men stopped the autonomous vehicle by blocking its path and asking for Amina’s phone number, preventing it from moving forward despite a green light.
Waymo’s driverless cars are programmed to stop when encountering pedestrians, but they were unable to react to this form of human behavior, leaving Amina stuck in the street. In the video, she can be heard asking the men to move as they continue to harass her. Fortunately, the situation only lasted a few minutes, but Amina expressed concern that more individuals could have gathered.
Amina praised Waymo’s Rider Support, noting that the company called her multiple times during the incident after she pressed the in-car support button. Waymo’s support team asked her if she needed assistance from the police, which she declined.
Despite her positive experience with their customer service, Amina pointed out the difficulty autonomous car companies face when dealing with unpredictable human behavior. She has been a regular Waymo user but now urges the company to implement additional safety features, particularly in areas with high pedestrian traffic, to prevent similar situations.
This event highlights the vulnerability of driverless cars to human exploitation. It follows other recent incidents in San Francisco, including one in which a Waymo car was stopped and vandalized while carrying passengers. Waymo vehicles have also been criticized for getting too close to pedestrians, sparking safety concerns.
In response to Amina’s video, Waymo replied on Twitter/X, stating: “Amina, we’re sorry this happened to you, and appreciate your positive feedback regarding Rider Support. Please know your safety remains our top priority, and we hope you’ll consider riding with us again in the future.”
Featured Image courtesy of PARESH DAVE/REUTERS
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