Waymo, a leading player in the driverless taxi service, is not stepping back in the face of notorious vandalism directed at its autonomous vehicles in San Francisco. Reports have emerged of the company filing two unreported lawsuits this month, seeking hundreds of thousands of dollars in damages from two alleged vandals. The Silicon Valley-based company owns a vast fleet of driverless taxis that clock tens of thousands of rides every week.
Rising Tensions in San Francisco
Residents of San Francisco haven’t always greeted Waymo’s growing fleet of self-driving taxis with open arms. The autonomous vehicles, which are an instant fascination for many, have unfortunately stirred some negative reactions from the public in the past months. Instances of ardent vandalism such as setting vehicles on fire, stomping them, and hurled verbal abuses have painted a significant challenge to Waymo’s operations in the city.
Additionally, Waymo claims that such outrageous acts of vandalism- including the ruining of dozens of tires and a tail end, pose a substantial threat to the company’s reputation. Besides, these attacks could indeed hinder Waymo’s plans, undermining their budding ride-hailing services before they fully bloom.
Waymo’s Legal Response
In this scenario, Waymo’s solution was to strike back with the legal weapon. The company, lying under the massive umbrella of Alphabet – the parent company of Google, brought forward two lawsuits this month. Headlines about these lawsuits didn’t grab any previous spotlight, but they seek hefty damages from two individuals alleged to be the vandals.
Safety as a Priority
Waymo has always kept safety as a hallmark of its services. Operating their ride-hailing service in San Francisco, Phoenix and Los Angeles, their model creates serious competition for big names like Uber and Lyft. Except, the driving is controlled entirely by sensors and specialised software.
However, its driverless cars haven’t avoided scrutiny. Despite not contributing to any known fatal accidents, US regulators continually probe their sometimes erratic driving. Waymo’s spokesperson, Sandy Karp, reaffirms that the company places safety above all. She emphasized that the recent lawsuits are a clear reflection of this strategy. However, she refrained from providing further comments on the issue.
Final Take
Undoubtedly, the journey for Waymo and its autonomous vehicles has been nothing short of a rollercoaster ride. The recent backlash and the consequential legal action demonstrate the extreme challenges in real-world applications of advanced technology such as autonomous vehicles. But Waymo is committed to pioneering safe and efficient transportation solutions. It’s clear that they will tackle every bump on this journey head-on for the larger success of their autonomous ride-hailing services.