Waymo's Self-Driving Ambitions Stumble: Construction Worker's Hand Signals Prove Too Tricky

Waymo's Self-Driving Ambitions Stumble: Construction Worker's Hand Signals Prove Too Tricky

Google's Waymo, a pioneer in self-driving technology, continues to face challenges as it expands its autonomous ride-hailing service across major cities. A recent incident, captured on video and circulating widely on social media, highlights a persistent hurdle for these sophisticated vehicles: the unpredictable nature of human interaction. In the video, a Waymo self-driving taxi encounters a construction worker directing traffic. The worker, seemingly attempting to guide the vehicle through a detour, uses a combination of hand signals and gestures. However, the Waymo, despite its advanced AI, appears confused by the situation. It hesitates, judders to a halt, and ultimately fails to follow the worker's instructions. The Challenge of Edge Cases This incident underscores a critical limitation of current self-driving technology: its difficulty in navigating "edge cases," or unexpected and complex scenarios. While Waymo's vehicles have logged millions of miles and unde…