Waymo's 500,000 weekly robotaxi rides spur scrutiny after Austin incident
Technology
Waymo is providing 500,000 paid robotaxi rides every week, but not without hiccups.
Recently in Austin, a Waymo car blocked an emergency response and had to be physically moved by a police officer.
Incidents like this are raising questions about whether public resources should be used to bail out stuck robotaxis.
Alan Wong opposes robotaxi roadside rescues
San Francisco District four supervisor Alan Wong said first responders should not be used as roadside assistance.
Plus, Waymo's super-cautious driving means trips can take up to 30% longer than with human drivers, good for safety, but not so great when time matters.
Meanwhile, other robotaxi players like Tesla and Zoox are entering the scene as interest in autonomous vehicles keeps growing.