Waymo Customer Speaks Out After Self-Driving Taxi Malfunction Leaves Him Trapped Going In Circles

Waymo Customer Speaks Out After Self-Driving Taxi Malfunction Leaves Him Trapped Going In Circles

Mike Johns, a tech entrepreneur from Los Angeles, had an unexpected detour when his self-driving Waymo taxi got stuck circling a parking lot in Phoenix, Arizona.

The autonomous car, en route to drop him off for a flight at Phoenix’s Sky Harbor Airport, completed several loops before Johns received help to get the vehicle back on track.

 

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Johns made it to his flight despite the dizzying delay, and Waymo confirmed they refunded his fare, noting his delay was no more than 5 minutes. He later shared his frustration on social media, questioning the reliability of the technology, stating:

“If we got to the tenth loop, do I need to jump into the driver’s seat?… What happens next? Because the car is still in control. I could bench press 300-plus, but am I able to control this?”

The incident adds to the list of challenges faced by self-driving cars as companies like Waymo work to refine their systems.

Are you ready to take a chance on self-driving vehicles or do they need more work first? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

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