As many as 50 Waymo robotaxis entered a cul-de-sac in just one hour. Local residents tried to stop the robotaxis with a child crossing sign. Waymo says it has fixed the routing problem, but hasn’t explained it. When robotaxis from Waymo work properly, their capabilities are extremely impressive. However, when they start acting up and behaving in strange ways, they can be downright hilarious, or even dangerous. Residents of a cul-de-sac in the Buckhead neighborhood of Atlanta, Georgia, say that in recent weeks, dozens of Waymo vehicles have been appearing at random in their area. The robotaxis have reportedly been gathering at other cul-de-sacs in the local area too, and Waymo has not explained why it’s happening. Read: Waymo Recalls Thousands Of Robotaxis After One Got Washed Away In A Flood According to one resident who spoke with WSB-TV, as many as 50 Waymo robotaxis drove around the cul-de-sac between 6 a.m. and 7 a.m. earlier this week. The extra traffic is a nuisance, but locals say the bigger issue is the safety risk, given that children and pets live nearby. The Sign Worked, Sort Of It’s understood that the Waymo vehicles are appearing on the street without passengers, almost as if they’ve learned from their human developers to gather for a smoke break. To dissuade the robotaxis from entering the cul-de-sac, locals put up a fluorescent green sign depicting a child crossing the road. While this stopped the Waymo vehicles, it caused as many as eight of them to grind to a halt on the street as they desperately tried to perform three-point turns and reverse away. It makes for pretty funny viewing, but we can understand why nearby residents wouldn’t be too pleased. Waymo Responds In a statement to Road & Track, Waymo said it has already addressed the strange routing behavior of its autonomous vehicles in Atlanta, though it didn’t specify the cause. “At Waymo, we are committed to being good neighbors,” the company said. “We take community feedback seriously and have already addressed this routing behavior. With over 500,000 weekly trips across the country, our service is proven to significantly reduce traffic injuries and improve road safety. We value our relationship with Atlanta residents and remain focused on providing a seamless, respectful, and safe experience for riders and residents alike.”
+20 others
