Alphabet’s Waymo, Tesla, and Amazon’s Zoox are accelerating robotaxi expansions across the United States. Local governments, law enforcement, and residents are responding with increased scrutiny and backlash.
Waymo vehicles have recently blocked ambulances, stalled in flooded streets, and frozen during blackouts. Tesla CEO Elon Musk noted that his vehicles can drive in circles when confused by unusual traffic situations.
These disruptive incidents have prompted Boston to consider new operating restrictions. The industry has issued software recalls while maintaining that autonomous safety records outperform human drivers.