We often think that technology is here to make our lives easier, and in a way, it is. Many devices and appliances make many mundane tasks a thing of the past. However, there are some tasks, such as driving, that we should not leave to technology just yet. As you may or may not know, Austin, Texas, has a reputation for having some of the worst drivers in the state. What happens if you throw an AI-controlled Waymo vehicle into the mix? Well, to everyone’s surprise, a car that can adapt to how people in Austin drive, but not in the way you’re thinking.
Someone recently shared a video in the Austin subreddit of a Waymo car driving like any other driver in the city, in other words, driving incorrectly. Jokes aside, the Waymo vehicle was driving in the opposite direction on a busy city street. You can see the car is in the wrong lane, forcing other drivers to move out of the way.
What makes the whole thing hilarious is that the Waymo vehicle turns on the wrong blinker before turning in the opposite direction. You can see the car disappear into what seems to be a gas station before the video stops.
Fortunately, this Waymo incident didn’t cause any accidents or damage. It was moving so slowly that many drivers were able to avoid this out-of-control car. Still, it made many wonder whether AI-controlled vehicles should still be allowed on the street, because if the situation had been worse, they could have crashed into another car or even a pedestrian.
While this short clip certainly made some people facepalm at the sight of failing technology, a few others took it with humor, claiming that the Waymo car is on par with how some people drive in Austin.
“Just adjusting to fit in with the average Austin driver,” said ponkyball.
“I’m impressed. Waymo is learning how to be an Austin driver more and more,” commented TreyKirk.
The truth is that Waymo has been under fire several times due to its spotty technology, which causes vehicles to experience these “malfunctions.” A few of these incidents include Waymo cars running red lights, failing to stop for school buses, and more. While we are sure these vehicles will continue to appear on our streets, we hope they get some updates to improve their driving. If not, it may lead to some dangerous situations.
