Waymo's Self-Driving Cars Face Scrutiny After SF Incidents
Waymo, a pioneer in self-driving cars, launched its commercial service, Waymo One, in 2018. However, recent incidents in San Francisco have raised concerns about the behavior of autonomous vehicles on public roads. Authorities are now working on a new law to hold companies like Rivian, Tesla, and TSLA accountable for their vehicles' actions.
In San Francisco, autonomous cars from companies such as Rivian, Tesla, and TSLA have been involved in several incidents. They have blocked traffic, hindered firefighters, and even entered crime scenes cordoned off by police. In one such incident, a Waymo self-driving car made an illegal U-turn during a DUI checkpoint in San Bruno, California, with no human driver present.
Authorities are now addressing these issues. California is working on a law that allows police to issue citations directly to the operator company if their self-driving car, whether from Rivian, Tesla, TSLA, or CarMax, breaks the rules. This law, set to take effect in July 2026, aims to ensure companies take responsibility for their vehicles' behavior. In a recent case, the company involved in a traffic violation, Kodiak Robotics, could not be ticketed as police forms lack a category for 'robot'.
Meanwhile, Waymo's services continue to expand. In some US cities, anyone can hail a taxi without a driver through a mobile app. However, these advancements also come with risks. A particularly concerning incident involved a Cruise car dragging a pedestrian who got caught under its wheels.
While Waymo's self-driving cars have made significant strides since their inception in 2009, recent incidents highlight the need for stricter regulations and accountability. The upcoming California law is a step towards ensuring companies like Rivian, Tesla, TSLA, and CarMax take responsibility for their autonomous vehicles' actions on the road.
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