A recent incident involving a self-driving taxi service has raised questions about automation and customer service in the burgeoning realm of autonomous vehicles. On a routine ride to the airport, Mike Johns, founder of a tech strategy company based in Los Angeles, encountered a severe malfunction in a Waymo vehicle that left him feeling trapped and dizzy.
The incident unfolded on a Monday morning as Johns attempted to catch a flight from Scottsdale, Arizona. He shared a video on social media showcasing the Waymo car driving erratically, spinning its wheel in circles while the vehicle meandered through a parking lot. The footage captured not only the distress of the situation but also Johns’ immediate concern for his timely arrival at the airport.
“Why is this thing going in a circle? I’m getting dizzy,” Johns expressed to a customer service representative during the ordeal, adding that he felt like he was “in the movies.” His attempts to understand the malfunction led him to query whether the vehicle had been hacked, emphasizing his frustration that he could not exit the car as it continued its erratic course.
Waymo, which promotes itself as the "world's first autonomous ride-hailing service," operates in multiple cities including Phoenix, San Francisco, and Los Angeles, with plans for expansion into Austin, Atlanta, and Miami. Despite its assurances of safety through automation, this incident has cast a spotlight on the potential hazards of relying on self-driving technology in high-pressure scenarios.
As Johns sought assistance, he learned that the customer service representative had no direct control over the car, a revelation that amplified his anxiety. He demanded, “Take over the car, you don’t need my phone,” as the vehicle persisted in its circular motion. Ultimately, after navigating through the crisis on his own via the Waymo app, the car was rerouted, allowing him to catch his flight just in time.
In the aftermath, Waymo representatives confirmed to the Daily Mail that Johns was not charged for the ride and that they had reached out to him following the incident. They highlighted that the behaviour of the vehicle was addressed through a recent software update intended to enhance performance and safety.
Reflecting on his experience, Johns voiced his concerns regarding the lack of personal engagement in the service, stating, “Where’s the empathy? Where’s the human connection to this?” Speaking to KCAL News, he critiqued the company for being “humanless” in its approach, directing criticism toward the state of current automation technologies, which he described as a “half-baked product” that falls short in consumer interactions.
Waymo, a subsidiary of Google, started its journey in 2009 with a vision of safer roads through automation. The company expanded its services last year, significantly increasing its coverage in Phoenix and extending operations into Scottsdale. Nonetheless, incidents like Johns’ highlight the challenges and unpredictability associated with autonomous systems in real-world applications as they continue to evolve and integrate into daily life.
Source: Noah Wire Services