Nearly two dozen autonomous robotaxis recently caused a real traffic jam in Austin, the capital of the US state of Texas. The reason: the driverless cars did not move forward or backward – why is still unclear.
About twenty vehicles from the robotaxi provider Cruise “got lost” on San Gabriel Street late Saturday evening. Some of the self-driving cars had ended up in the opposite lane of the two-lane road, causing, among other things, two cruise cars to face each other – in a kind of standoff, as it were – and thus blocking traffic.
Eyewitnesses who posted photos and videos on social media reported seeing Cruise employees attempting to control the Chevrolet Bolt cars using remote controls to remedy the situation. Much to the amusement of the pedestrians.
A Cruise spokesperson suggested the problem may be related to pedestrian traffic, according to US media. The images published online do not show how many people were near the robotaxis during the traffic collapse.
A statement from Cruise said the company is continuously monitoring its fleet and has been informed of the traffic jam. “We were able to resolve the issue and all vehicles left the area autonomously,” Cruise wrote. “We apologize for the inconvenience”.
Robotaxis approved in San Francisco
It wasn’t until August that autonomous taxis were first approved for use on San Francisco roads. The robotaxis from the companies Waymo and Cruise will be allowed to drive paying passengers through the Californian city in the future – despite concerns and protests from critics.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
