A Waymo driverless taxi has been causing a disturbance in east London, repeatedly getting stuck on a dead-end street and waking residents at 4am with loud beeping and whirring sounds. The futuristic white Jaguar SUV has been wreaking havoc on Elder Street in Shoreditch, a residential road blocked by a metal gate. The vehicle attempts to navigate back after realizing its mistake, but the process involves an excruciating three-point turn that disrupts the neighborhood.
Residents Frustrated
Neighbors have expressed their frustration with the noisy interruptions. Local resident Chris posted on X: 'That’s three times this week you’ve driven a car with a driver in it down the end of a dead end street then reversed and woken up everyone in the street.' Another clip shows two neighbors shouting at the passenger inside another stuck Waymo that had been blocking the road for some time.
Waymo's Response
A Waymo spokesperson said: 'As we prepare for fully autonomous operations in London, we want to validate our technology on roads across the city. However, we’ve now limited vehicles’ ability to drive on this street in response to this feedback.' The company has already started testing in London using a fleet of around 24 cars, each equipped with cameras, radar, and light detection sensors.
Testing in London
Waymo's vehicles are currently undergoing tests to learn the nuances of the city, such as zebra crossings. Not all cars are fully controlled by AI yet; most still have human safety drivers. Sky News reported that within the past few weeks, the company started letting the cars take control. The futuristic cars claim to be involved in 92% fewer crashes causing serious or fatal injuries compared to human drivers.
Safety Concerns
As other firms test computer-aided driving, especially in the US, the number of self-driving vehicle incidents has increased. Tesla has been testing self-driving software since 2015, with 59 deaths reported in crashes involving its vehicles. From July to December 2023, crashes averaged about 17 per month, but the tally has risen to 59 incidents per month, peaking at 110 in May last year. Analysts say the increase is due to more vehicles on the road, not necessarily a verdict on safety.
Waymo Accidents
In October, KitKat, a beloved pet cat in San Francisco, was struck and killed by a Waymo self-driving car. The incident sparked anger in the community, especially after Waymo co-CEO Tekedra Mawakana said society is 'ready to accept deaths' caused by automated cars. KitKat's owner warned that next time, the death could be that of a child. Waymo expressed sympathies and made a donation.
Future Plans
London passengers might be able to order a Waymo robotaxi via an app by September if plans proceed. However, the recent disturbances highlight the challenges of integrating autonomous vehicles into dense urban environments.
