Waymo self-driving taxi caught heading into oncoming traffic amid World Cup congestion

Waymo self-driving taxi caught heading into oncoming traffic amid World Cup congestion The incident in Inglewood , California, comes after Waymo recalled more than 3,000 vehicles due to safety concerns - Bookmark - CommentsGo to comments A self-driving Waymo robotaxi was caught on camera sitting in the wrong lane while facing oncoming traffic in Los Angeles. The car was filmed at a traffic stop in Inglewood blocking vehicles coming the other way, including a large articulated truck, ABC7 Los Angeles reports. At one point the car, painted red and blue with a Superman logo on the side presumably to promote the new Supergirl movie, can be seen edging forwards while on the wrong side of the double yellow line. Drivers had to manoeuvre around the automated vehicle to avoid collision, in a city already facing a traffic surge thanks to the influx of World Cup fans. The potentially dangerous moment was caught on dash cam by another driver, Kimoon Kim, who can be heard commenting in disbelief: “Oh my gosh, Waymo what are you doing?” Kim said he was worried a serious crash would occur, ABC7 reported, adding that after he finished filming the Waymo car cut him off while merging into the correct lane. Waymo has been contacted for comment. Inglewood is the home of SoFi Stadium, which is hosted the USA kick-off game of the World Cup, and eight matches across the tournament. As a result, Inglewood residents can expect plenty of traffic coming to and from the games. Waymo robotaxis have been in development since 2009, but first became available to the public as a driverless taxi in 2024, launching in San Francisco and spreading across the U.S. Their expansion has come with increased scrutiny over their safety protocols. Despite the company claiming robotaxis are safer than human-driven cars, analysis from CNN found that the taxis have run red lights, driven into traffic and even driven through active crime scenes. Waymo issued its fourth safety recall on June 17, taking 3,871 cars with Waymo’s 5th Generation Automated Driving System off the street due to them prioritizing certain hazards over others, resulting in cars driving through construction zones on freeways. Waymo’s recall published by the U.S. Department of Transportation in June states: “Under certain circumstances, the AV may enter and drive at speed in freeway construction zones due to inappropriately prioritizing the avoidance of other freeway hazards and/or failing to recognize the construction zone.” The company has said it plans to address those issues with software improvements. Later this year, the Waymo will become the first robotaxi fleet to operate in the U.K., when it expands to London in September. Join our commenting forum Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies Comments