'Just circling...is it hacked?': Techie trapped in Waymo's self-driving car
What's the story
A Los Angeles-based tech entrepreneur was recently trapped in a malfunctioning Waymo self-driving car. The vehicle started circling a parking lot repeatedly when the entrepreneur, Mike Johns, was on his way to the airport. The unexpected detour almost made him miss his flight and resulted in a call for help from the company. In a video posted on LinkedIn, Johns was heard telling a Waymo representative, "I feel like I'm in the movies. Is somebody playing a joke on me?"
Response
Initial reaction to robotaxi issue
At first, Johns assumed the incident was a prank by one of his tech-savvy friends. But, as the vehicle kept repeating the same loop around an island in the parking lot, he understood there was something really wrong with the car. He said it felt like a scene from a sci-fi thriller and even wondered if the car had been hacked when he called for help.
Company statement
Waymo's response to the robotaxi glitch
In response to Johns's distress call, a Waymo representative suggested he open his app as she tried to halt the vehicle. However, she admitted that she didn't have the ability to control the car remotely. The issue was eventually resolved after several minutes, Waymo said in a statement. Despite his ordeal, Johns was successful in catching his flight from Arizona to southern California.
Digital critique
Critique of the digital world
Frustrated with his experience, Johns wondered if the representative he spoke to was human or AI. He slammed today's digital world as a place where half-baked products are launched without proper customer support. Despite the problems faced, Johns said that this incident would not stop him from using driverless cars in future but admitted that there are still issues to be fixed.
Assurance
Waymo's assurance and entrepreneur's future outlook
Waymo assured The Guardian that the "looping event" had been rectified by a scheduled software update. The company also confirmed that Johns was not charged for the trip. Johns remains optimistic about the future of autonomous vehicles. He stated, "As a futurist, I feel like this is where everything is headed so you might as well get there first."