What's happened
Mike Johns experienced a malfunction in a Waymo autonomous vehicle that caused it to circle a parking lot repeatedly, nearly making him miss his flight. The incident, which occurred on December 9, was later attributed to a software issue that has since been addressed.
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Incident Overview
- Mike Johns ordered a Waymo vehicle on December 9.
- The car circled a parking lot eight times, causing panic.
- Johns recorded his experience and shared it on LinkedIn.
Software Reliability
- Waymo stated the issue was resolved with a software update.
- Questions remain about the frequency of such malfunctions.
- The incident highlights potential risks in autonomous vehicle technology.
Customer Experience
- Johns expressed frustration over the lack of human interaction in customer service.
- He noted the absence of follow-up communication from Waymo.
- This incident may deter potential riders from using autonomous services in the future.
What the papers say
According to Katherine Tangalakis-Lippert from Business Insider UK, Johns described his experience as feeling like a prank, stating, "By lap number four, I knew this ain't a prank." The Guardian reported that Johns questioned whether the vehicle had been hacked, saying, "I can’t get out of the car. Has this been hacked? What’s going on?" Meanwhile, Jon Brodkin from Ars Technica noted that Waymo's representative struggled to regain control of the vehicle, which raises concerns about the effectiveness of their support systems. Overall, the incident has sparked discussions about the reliability of autonomous vehicles and the need for improved customer service.
How we got here
Waymo, a subsidiary of Alphabet, launched its driverless taxi service in 2020. Since then, there have been multiple reports of unexpected vehicle behavior, raising concerns about the reliability of autonomous technology.
Common question
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What Happened During the Waymo Car Incident at the Airport?
A recent incident involving a Waymo self-driving car has raised significant concerns about the reliability of autonomous vehicles and their customer service. Mike Johns, an AI consultant, experienced a frustrating ride that nearly caused him to miss his flight. This incident has sparked questions about the safety and effectiveness of self-driving technology, as well as the support provided to customers in distressing situations.
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