“This is it. We’re dead. We’re going to die right here in the Waymo.”
This combined with another recent article from some insiders at Tesla saying, along the lines, “You couldn’t pay me to let one of these things drive me somewhere.”
And yet I still know people who are just so chuffed about “never having to drive again.”
EDIT: Comments have pointed out that this story is, at best, overblown and semi-fabricated otherwise. Take it with a massive grain of salt. But feel free to discuss self-driving, waymo, etc in the comments!
The article links to another source, but the video they show doesn’t have the elements the passenger describes, like speeding through a construction zone or evading police. All you see in the video is the car moving less than 1 MPH while trying to merge through a clusterfuck of traffic. Is there a longer version of the video somewhere? Because so far, it sounds fishy. Especially with claims from Tesla workers, of all people, commenting on it.
EDIT: The guy’s LinkedIn profile starts with: “As a Content Creator & Social Media Specialist, I collaborate with various stakeholders within institutions to create paid and organic content for social media. I support and drive the overall efforts and strategic visions by engaging in multi-disciplinary cross-functional teams (strategists, marketers, copywriters, etc.).” The man is literally a professional bullshitter. I’m not buying it.
I can believe that the Waymo could’ve gotten stuck in a complicated merge, but I don’t believe for even a second that it would flee from police or speed through construction. I used to work on these cars, and it was nearly impossible to get them to drive through construction zones at even 5 MPH, let alone at highway speeds. On top of that, lights and sirens behind the car will trigger a pullover.
This sounds like somebody who got stuck in traffic and got annoyed, and wanted to put their name on some headlines.
Ah bummer. Though I should mention the Tesla workers comment was just me paraphrasing a different article talking about Tesla’s auto-driving, not Waymo related stuff. I saw the two today, but saved one and not the other.
I’ve edited in a disclaimer to be skeptical. Thank you for catching that!
Sounds like a fucking chode. I bet he thinks moving out of the way for a cop car means he was being charged.
There is a little bit of video in there of the car going quite fast, but the guy seems to mostly be filming the seat and the floor, so you only glimpse movement out of the window for a moment or two.