Who's driving Waymo's self-driving cars? Sometimes, the police

5 hours ago

A fire near Redwood City led to a Waymo robotaxi getting stuck and requiring CHP intervention.
Waymo has relied on first responders multiple times to move its vehicles during emergencies.
Waymo's remote assistance and roadside assistance teams have faced scrutiny for their effectiveness.
San Francisco officials expressed concerns about Waymo vehicles impeding first responders.
Waymo's robotaxis provide over 400,000 paid rides weekly but still require human assistance.
Remote assistance workers, some based in the Philippines, help navigate complex situations.
A Waymo vehicle in Austin incorrectly proceeded past a school bus due to remote assistance error.
Waymo's event response team handles post-collision protocols and emergency coordination.
First responders have manually moved Waymo vehicles at crime scenes and emergencies.
Waymo has trained 30,000 first responders globally on interacting with its robotaxis.

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