Waymo Has Been Reprogramming Its Robotaxis to Drive More Aggressively
futurism.com
Waymo has been experimenting with programming to make its typically-cautious robotaxis "confidently assertive."

Besides convenience, one of the main benefits of self-driving cars is supposed to be safety.

Yet in a bizarre move, Waymo — whose self-driving cabs had been enjoying extraordinary safety metrics — has just taken steps to make its robotaxis more human-like, eroding the safety narrative that’s been central to the autonomous vehicle narrative.

Recent reporting by The Wall Street Journal observed a startling change in Waymos’ road etiquette, a new aggressive streak that would make a BMW driver blush. These include illegal U-turns, aggressive lane switching, rolling through cross walks, and running red lights.

  • thallamabond@lemmy.worldEnglish
    7·
    7 days ago

    Oh, they do not have to pay ‘fines’

    However, if the car is driverless, there is likely no punishment.

    According to the Atlanta Police Standard Operating Procedure, they are told not to issue citations to driverless vehicles.

    The standards read in part:

    “The court system is currently unable to process traffic citations for AVs with no human operator. If the vehicle violates a traffic law, where a citation would be warranted, the officer must write a report providing the details surrounding the incident and the law that was violated.”