Robotaxi Meets Delivery Bot: A Glimpse into the Future of Autonomous Traffic Collisions
Picture this: a quiet evening in West Hollywood, a Waymo robotaxi turning right, and a Serve Robotics delivery bot crossing the street. It sounds like the beginning of a futuristic tale, but it actually unfolded on December 27 in Los Angeles, as seen in avideo making rounds on social media. The footage reveals the delivery bot maneuvering onto the sidewalk, only to be met by a turning Waymo vehicle. But what exactly happened?
- The Serve bot reportedly ran a red light, although this isn’t apparent from the footage.
- Waymo’s system identified the bot as an inanimate object.
- The robotaxi applied hard braking before making contact, albeit at a slow 4 miles per hour.
A Reddit user humorously commented, “Waymo computers: ‘Doesn’t appear to be a human or animal.’ ‘No life form detected’ BAM!” highlighting both the humor and reality of autonomous decision-making.
– Reddit User
This incident raises pertinent questions about liability and response when autonomous vehicles collide. According to Waymo, their Driver system is designed to prioritize safety, being particularly cautious around living beings. Yet, when it comes to inanimate objects like delivery bots, the approach differs.
Here’s how Waymo typically handles such situations:
- The Waymo Driver notifies Fleet Response and Rider Support teams.
- The Fleet Response team assesses the situation remotely and dispatches roadside assistance if necessary.
- The Rider Support team ensures passenger safety and contacts emergency services if required.
In this case, there were no passengers in the robotaxi, leaving it unclear whether either team intervened. Serve Robotics confirmed that the bot was under remote supervision during its street crossing—a standard practice for intersections.
While both companies are working together to prevent future incidents, questions linger about liability should more significant damage occur. As autonomous vehicles become more common on our roads, these discussions will be crucial in shaping the future of transportation technology.
For now, this minor collision serves as a reminder of the complex realities we face as we navigate the transition to autonomous mobility. It’s a future where robots drive themselves and occasionally bump into each other—hopefully with minimal consequences.
