A Los Angeles tech entrepreneur's journey to the airport turned into a confusing ordeal when his self-driving taxi malfunctioned, circling a parking lot repeatedly and leaving him trapped.
On his way to Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix in December, Mike Johns, a tech futurist and AI expert, opted for a Waymo self-driving car, the Guardian reported.
The company, known for its autonomous ride services in several U.S. cities, boasts millions of successful rides. However, high-profile incidents, including collisions and malfunctions, have led to public debates about the reliability of self-driving technology.
As the car began looping around a parking lot, Johns initially suspected a prank or a hacking incident.
"I got my seat belt on. I can't get out of the car. Has this been hacked? What's going on?" Johns told a Waymo representative in a video he posted to LinkedIn. "I feel like I'm in the movies. Is somebody playing a joke on me? And I got a flight to catch."
Trapped with his seatbelt on and unable to intervene, he contacted Waymo's customer service, which struggled to resolve the issue remotely.
Given the representative's seeming lack of empathy, Johns was unsure if he spoke to a human or AI.
The ordeal ended after several minutes, allowing him to catch his flight only because of a delay.
Waymo stated that the issue lasted just over five minutes and was caused by a software glitch, which has since been addressed with an update. Johns was not charged for the ride.
Originally published by Latin Times
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