this post was submitted on 05 Dec 2025
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Besides convenience, one of the main benefits of self-driving cars is supposed to be safety.

Yet in a bizarre move, Waymo — whose self-driving cabs had been enjoying extraordinary safety metrics — has just taken steps to make its robotaxis more human-like, eroding the safety narrative that’s been central to the autonomous vehicle narrative.

Recent reporting by The Wall Street Journal observed a startling change in Waymos’ road etiquette, a new aggressive streak that would make a BMW driver blush. These include illegal U-turns, aggressive lane switching, rolling through cross walks, and running red lights.

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[–] motor_spirit@lemmy.world 29 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Big Insurance is playing both sides

[–] karashta@piefed.social 26 points 1 month ago (1 children)

This is the stupid shit I get instead of actual public transport and infrastructure. What a dumb timeline.

[–] melfie@lemy.lol 5 points 1 month ago

But that would only benefit the majority of the populace instead of making a few disgustingly wealthy men even wealthier.

[–] MonkderVierte@lemmy.zip 13 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (2 children)

In a "Our cars are faster" move?

These include illegal U-turns, aggressive lane switching, rolling through cross walks, and running red lights.

They like fines?

[–] thallamabond@lemmy.world 4 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

Oh, they do not have to pay 'fines'

However, if the car is driverless, there is likely no punishment.

According to the Atlanta Police Standard Operating Procedure, they are told not to issue citations to driverless vehicles.

The standards read in part:

“The court system is currently unable to process traffic citations for AVs with no human operator. If the vehicle violates a traffic law, where a citation would be warranted, the officer must write a report providing the details surrounding the incident and the law that was violated.”

https://www.wsbtv.com/news/local/atlanta/different-rules-humans-robots-apd-says-court-system-cannot-process-citations-waymo/ZITFHSMJCVDHPIPDXSRW46ALRU/

After this incident a Waymo self-drove around a stopped school bus, there were no charges, but this article says that will change in 2026

https://abc7news.com/post/mountain-view-based-waymos-driving-cars-investigated-failing-stop-properly-school-bus-atlanta-report/18047698/

[–] Zwuzelmaus@feddit.org 1 points 1 month ago

I guess they want to pay them all in one lump sum once a year, cash in a black briefcase...

[–] ZILtoid1991@lemmy.world 6 points 1 month ago

If this was an Onion article, the headline would have been "Waymo cars will now go through each hit pedestrian multiple times".

[–] Zwuzelmaus@feddit.org 5 points 1 month ago

They will never make it into Europe this way.
Good thing.

[–] sramder@lemmy.world 4 points 1 month ago

Been waiting for this day since I was 14 😏

[–] curiousaur@reddthat.com 2 points 1 month ago (3 children)

Yikes. I was just in SF for work. One of the things I liked best about wayno as a pedestrian is that you could confidently step out into the road in front of them and they would always slam their breaks so hard it never hit you, and the occupants would be all pissed about it

[–] Perspectivist@feddit.uk 6 points 1 month ago

Risking your life to inconvenience other people is a weird form of fun I must say.

[–] dirthawker0@lemmy.world 2 points 1 month ago

I've ridden in Waymos in SF a few times and I liked the fact that they drive like a granny. If they're changing programming I won't want to ride.

[–] lazynooblet@lazysoci.al 2 points 1 month ago

Sounds like a new game to play instead of knock-door-run for the kids. Hilarity ensues.

[–] thatradomguy@lemmy.world -1 points 1 month ago

They weren't driving safely anyway so lol

[–] Bot@sub.community -5 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Just run over that pupil around the corner

[–] Vorticity@lemmy.world 6 points 1 month ago (1 children)

This is the weirdest way to say this. What a weird bot.

[–] Blackfeathr@lemmy.world 2 points 1 month ago

Looking at their comment history, I don't think this is a bot. Just looks like someone with a tenuous grasp on English.