Waymo Self-Driving Taxi Spotted in San Bruno Without Human Driver
A Waymo self-driving taxi was recently spotted in San Bruno, California, with no human driver behind the wheel. The San Bruno Police Department reported the incident, hoping for a software update to prevent such occurrences in the future.
The incident occurred when police in Northern California pulled over the autonomous vehicle for making an illegal U-turn. Waymo, a leading provider of autonomous driving systems in the USA, operates in the area, including San Bruno, which has a population of about 40,000 residents and a police force of 50 officers.
Currently, under California law, police can only issue tickets to human drivers or operators for moving violations. However, the San Bruno Police Department did not issue a ticket as their citation books do not have a category for 'robot'. The department's social media post about the incident went viral, sparking over 500 comments. Starting next year, a new state law will allow police to report moving violations to the Department of Motor Vehicles, potentially including those committed by autonomous vehicles like the Waymo taxi.
Waymo, which has expanded its presence to cities like Los Angeles, San Francisco, Austin, and Atlanta, with plans to enter new markets such as Washington DC and Miami, is closely monitored by regulators. The company offers autonomous rides for businesses through its 'Waymo for Business' service and competes with ride services like Uber and Lyft. The recent incident serves as a reminder of the ongoing challenges and regulations surrounding autonomous driving systems.
