ABC7 News – Another frightened Waymo customer swears them off forever
First time Waymo rider gets quite the fright when their Waymo cuts in front of another driver.
Robotaxi.news
Are robotaxis the future? Or instead, the past?
Robotaxi.news
Are robotaxis the future? Or instead, the past?
Safety
All the robotaxi companies claim that their safety is much better than obsolete human drivers. But are they really safer given that they seem to crash so often? This clearly needs to be investigated further.
Read MoreABC7 News – Another frightened Waymo customer swears them off forever
SF Chronicle – A woman’s Waymo rolled up with a stunning surprise: A man hiding in the trunk
SF Chronicle reports that an odd hitch hiker was found in the back of a Waymo. We have questions ere. First, how old was daughter that the ride was being arranged for?? It is not allowed to send a child alone in a Waymo because clearly unexpected things might happen. Second, with all the sensors and supposed technology how did a really odd person sneak into the vehicle?? Third, wouldn't a human driver have prevented this from ever happening??
NY Times – How Kit Kat Was Killed: Video Shows What a Robot Taxi Couldn’t See
NY Times reports on what actually happened when a Waymo robotaxi ran over and killed another animal. It should be noted that the cat did not suddenly dart in front of the vehicle as it pulled away, as Waymo claimed. Instead, a bystander stood in front of the vehicle and tried to lure out the cat, and that the vehicle did not realize that the cat was in danger. A human driver would have of course noticed that a person was trying to get the cat from under the car.
TechCrunch – Feds find more complaints of Tesla’s FSD running red lights and crossing lanes
TechCrunch reports on how complaints on Tesla's behaving dangerously just keep on piling up.
TechCrunch – Feds ask Waymo about robotaxis repeatedly passing school buses in Austin
TechCrunch reports on how NHTSA is now investigating 19 cases where a Waymo illegally passed a stopped school bus. 19 times!
KQED – Waymo, Uber, Lyft to Expand on SF’s Market Street, Despite Pushback From Transit Groups
KQED reports that San Francisco is planning on letting all commercial vehicles on "car-free" Market Street based on completely flawed testing.
CBS Austin – Waymo vehicles caught illegally passing AISD school buses 19 times since August 1
CBS Austin reports video evidence of Waymo vehicles illegally passing school buses 19 times. Further evidence that Waymo vehicles simply are not designed to follow traffic safety laws.
NBC News – Driverless Waymo vehicle goes through tense police stop in L.A.
NBC News reports on how a Waymo vehicle blithely drove into a police situation where the police had their guns drawn. It is clear that Waymos cannot handle unusual situations, especially when first responders are involved.
NYT Opinion – The Data on Self-Driving Cars Is Clear. We Have to Change Course.
While the title is correct, we do need to change course, the opinion piece is just another tech fantasy. The truth is that the data show that the solution for safety is clearly better designed streets and better safety policies. Simply look at Europe to see how safety can be greatly improved through street design, not robotaxis.
Mission Local – Waymo hits dog in S.F. weeks after killing Mission bodega cat
Waymo involved in yet another crash, this one killing a dog. The vehicles are clearly not the answer when it comes to improving safety.
NY Times – Self-Driving Taxis Are Catching On. Are You Ready?
NY Times reports on how there are more and more robotaxis, and they take a ride on a Zoox.
Austin American-Statesman – Tesla reports 4 Austin robotaxi crashes in September as it preps to remove safety monitors
Waymo, the industry leader, reported 9 crashes. It has nearly four times as many autonomous ride-hailing vehicles operating in the city. Editors note: Tesla’s robotaxis have had 7 crashes since their service started and 4 in September alone. And this is with “safety drivers” as backup. It is quite clear…
Reddit – My Tesla Robotaxi “safety” driver fell asleep
Tesla can't even be bothered to have a "safety" driver that actually provides safety.
SF Chronicle – A Waymo robotaxi killed a beloved S.F. cat. Now a city supervisor wants driverless car reform
SF Chronicle reports on on Supervisor Jackie Fielder of San Francisco is trying to push for state legislation to allow local control of robotaxis. This was motivated by Waymo killing a beloved bodega cat.
KRON – Waymo pledges donation after beloved San Francisco corner store cat struck, killed
KRON reports that Waymo acknowledges that one of their robotaxis struck and killed a beloved cat. But hey, they promise to make a donation to an unrelated cause.
