Waymo’s Automated Vehicles Encounter a Hitch — Humans!

As per my last post, our law school problem solving class is looking at problems created by the interaction between connected and automated vehicles and other roadway users. This article from The Information offers some interesting insights on the difficulties Waymo is facing as it deploys its robo-taxi service in Phoenix.  Basically, the problem comes down to . . . people.  A blurb from the article:

The biggest issue for Waymo’s vans and other companies’ prototypes is human drivers or pedestrians who fail to observe traffic laws. They do so by speeding, by not coming to complete stops, by turning illegally, texting while driving, or with an endless array of other moving violations that have become an accepted part of driving. Waymo’s prototypes sometimes respond to these maneuvers by stopping abruptly in ways that human drivers don’t anticipate. As a result, human drivers from time to time have rear-ended the Waymo vans.