Waymo’s self-driving cars are not doing very well at all
Google’s Waymo has so far been held high as an example of how well self-driving automotive technology is doing . But now, information The Information has received from anonymous company employees shows that there are many problems behind the scenes.
Especially do not turn left
The technology behind the cars is paramount. The Chrysler Pacificas that Waymo drives, for example, have difficulty cornering, just to name something very basic. Turning left is especially a problem, because the vehicles seem to be unable to see what is happening on that side.
That is dangerous, because according to reports, the cars sometimes turn left when that is actually not possible at all. For the frustrated drivers who ride along, inserting on the highway often pinches their buttocks, because the cars do that even when there is actually very little space for it. The problems are not limited to the left side, by the way: turning right also causes problems. In general, right of way rules are a crime and that means that drivers quite often have to take over control.
Too correct for reality
In addition, there are certain other situations that the cars cannot handle. Traffic lights that limit the flow of traffic to the highway are apparently a mystery to self-driving cars . This also has to do with the fact that the cars exhibit extremely controlled driving behavior and therefore comply 100 percent with all applicable traffic rules. This problem also arises with stop signs, because the cars obediently wait the mandatory 3 seconds, whether it is necessary or not.
The cars mainly drive around Phoenix, Arizona, partly because it is fairly quiet on the road there. Most of the self-driving cars still have a human babysitter, but restrictions have also been built in. For example, a car may not turn left if the maximum speed on the road to which the car wants to go is above a certain level.
“Forbid all people to drive”
The progress is therefore much less successful than the self-driving car companies would have us believe. According to insiders, the progress so far is ‘not far beyond the starting line’ and it mainly concerns very small steps that are taken. That means that the dream of self-driving cars will have to stay in our heads for a while. The best way to speed up the process? Ban all human drivers from driving, Waymo techs say. But yes, that is not an option. So wait a little longer.