Waymo Robotaxi Malfunction Traps Passenger in Dizzying Loop, Raising Concerns About AI-Driven Transportation
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We talked to the guy who was stuck in a Waymo robotaxi on a dizzying loop | TechCrunch
A month ago, a video circulated around social media of a Waymo robotaxi stuck in a roundabout loop - an isolated incident with no passengers in the vehicle, according to Waymo. Apparently, it wasn't a one-time thing. Around the same time, in another Waymo robotaxi headed for the Phoenix airport,
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LA Man Says He Almost Missed His Flight After Waymo Drove Him in Circles
A Los Angeles man who was trying to make his way to an Arizona airport in one of Waymo's driverless taxis last month got stuck in an incredibly frustrating loop where the car just traveled in circles. The man even says he almost missed his flight back home. And while Waymo tells Gizmodo the issue
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'Dizzy' driverless taxi passenger nearly misses flight after cab gets stuck driving in circles
A "dizzy" robotaxi passenger nearly missed his flight after his cab started driving around in circles. Mike Johns was attempting to catch a flight from an Arizona airport and hailed a Waymo driverless taxi last month. However, his trip was quickly derailed and he nearly missed his flight. "I get
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Tech entrepreneur trapped in circling self-driving car on way to...
A Los Angeles tech entrepreneur became trapped in an unhinged self-driving vehicle so long that he nearly missed his flight, according to a report. Mike Johns was heading to the airport in a self-operating "Waymo" taxi on his way home from Scottsdale, Ariz., last month when the rogue vehicle began
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LA man nearly misses flight as self-driving Waymo taxi drives around parking lot in circles
A Los Angeles man nearly missed his flight back home last week, all because he says the self-driving Waymo taxi he was using to get to the airport wouldn't stop driving around a parking lot in circles. Mike Johns was heading home from Scottsdale, Arizona last week when he hopped into a Waymo to
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"I'm getting dizzy": Man films Waymo self-driving car driving around in circles
The Waymo self-driving company says it has fixed a problem that caused a car to repeatedly circle a parking lot for about five minutes while its rider was trying to get to an airport. Last month, Mike Johns posted a video on LinkedIn showing what happened after he was picked up by a Waymo
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'Is This Car Hacked?': Viral Video Shows a Man Trapped in a Circling Waymo Driverless Taxi
Mike Johns works as an AI consultant, so he knows technology and everything it can do to improve our lives -- or make you so dizzy you might get sick. The Los Angeles resident was trying to get back to California from Scottsdale, Arizona, last week and took a Waymo driverless taxi to the airport.
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Watch this self-driving Waymo taxi circle a parking lot instead of taking its passenger to the airport
Serving tech enthusiasts for over 25 years. TechSpot means tech analysis and advice you can trust. WTF?! We're now as close to the year 2050 as the year 2020. Technology has come a long way, but it's far from perfect. Just ask the man who couldn't get to the airport on time because the
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Los Angeles tech entrepreneur gets trapped in self-driving Waymo car
Mike Johns was riding autonomous vehicle on way to airport when it started circling around parking lot A tech entrepreneur based in Los Angeles became trapped in a malfunctioning self-driving car for several minutes last month, causing him to nearly miss a flight, he said. Mike Johns was riding
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Los Angeles man trapped in circling Waymo on way to airport says he missed his flight home
By Hannah Wiley, Los Angeles Times The Tribune Content Agency A Los Angeles man said he recently missed his flight home after getting trapped on his way to the airport in a Waymo that wouldn't stop making circles in a parking lot. L.A. tech entrepreneur Mike Johns posted a video three weeks ago
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A tech entrepreneur's harrowing experience with a malfunctioning Waymo robotaxi highlights the challenges and potential risks of autonomous vehicle technology, sparking debates about safety measures and human oversight in AI-driven transportation.
Waymo Robotaxi Malfunction Traps Passenger in Circular Loop
In a recent incident that has raised concerns about the reliability of autonomous vehicles, Mike Johns, a Los Angeles-based tech entrepreneur, found himself trapped in a Waymo robotaxi that drove in circles for several minutes. The event occurred in early December as Johns was en route to the Phoenix airport, nearly causing him to miss his flight
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.The Incident Unfolds
Johns reported that the Waymo vehicle began circling a parking lot, completing eight loops and leaving him feeling dizzy and concerned. "I've got a flight to catch, why is this thing going in a circle, I'm getting dizzy!" Johns exclaimed during a call with a Waymo customer service agent
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.The ordeal lasted for what Waymo claims was about five minutes, though Johns described it as feeling "like forever"
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. During this time, Johns questioned whether the vehicle had been hacked and expressed frustration with the inability to stop the car or exit the vehicle.Customer Service Response and Resolution
A Waymo customer support specialist contacted Johns during the incident, acknowledging a potential "routing issue"
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. However, the support agent admitted to having no direct control over the vehicle, raising questions about the effectiveness of remote assistance in such situations.Johns was eventually instructed to use the Waymo app to resolve the issue, a solution that has been criticized by experts as potentially error-prone
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. Waymo later confirmed that their vehicles have a "pull over" button available to riders at all times, though Johns reported being unaware of this option during the incident1
.Aftermath and Industry Implications
The incident has sparked discussions about safety measures in autonomous vehicles. Missy Cummings, a professor of autonomy and robotics at George Mason University, emphasized the importance of having an emergency stop mechanism easily accessible to passengers
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.Waymo has since addressed the issue through a software update and confirmed that Johns was not charged for the ride
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. However, the company's initial lack of follow-up with Johns has been criticized, highlighting concerns about customer service in the AI-driven transportation sector4
.Related Stories
Broader Context and Similar Incidents
This is not an isolated event for Waymo. In December, another incident involving a Waymo vehicle stuck in a roundabout loop was reported, though without passengers
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. The company has also faced other challenges, including a collision with a cyclist in San Francisco in February 2024 and a telephone pole incident in May 2024 that prompted a recall of mapping technology2
.Future of Autonomous Transportation
Despite these setbacks, Waymo continues to expand its operations across major U.S. cities, including Los Angeles, Phoenix, San Francisco, and Austin
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. The company claims that its taxis have driven over 33 million miles without drivers and have demonstrated improved safety compared to human-driven vehicles3
.As the autonomous vehicle industry grows, incidents like Johns' experience underscore the need for robust safety measures, effective remote assistance capabilities, and improved communication between AI-driven services and their human users. The balance between technological advancement and passenger safety remains a critical focus for companies like Waymo as they shape the future of transportation.
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