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Waymo car crashes into pole

12 NewsCited 4× on HN, 2024–2025
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news · general · 2024–2025 on HN

A short local news report about a Waymo self-driving car that crashed into a pole in downtown Phoenix.

HN cites it as evidence that robotaxis can still have odd, avoidable crashes, usually in threads that criticize self-driving safety claims.

4 comments from Hacker News

@madamelic2025-11 · in “Tesla's ‘Robotaxis' Keep Crashing—Even With Human ‘Safety Monitors' Onboard”

Waymo hits pole (this one is from 2024, could've sworn I saw one in the last few weeks but may have misremembered): ▶ this video Waymos crash into each other: link Waymo cutting off bus at left turn: link Waymo doing... something... no clue how a pre-mapped car thinks this is ok: link Waymo sideswipes firetruck with its lights on: link --- Crashes happen. Tesla is currently having a rash of them but Waymo isn't immune to "wtf how" kinds of crashes even with all of its built-in advantages (far more sensors and having pre-mapping).

Critical View on HN
@ripjaygn2024-08 · in “Tesla drivers say new FSD update is repeatedly running red lights”

Meanwhile Waymo just yesterday went the wrong way on the street. link Waymo hits stationary pole. ▶ this video If Waymo is as good as you claim, then why don't they release data on the number of manual interventions> It's just the Waymo's missteps are unlikely to show up on HN unlike Tesla's. FSD can navigate crowds too.

Critical View on HN
@xnx2024-05 · in “Feds add nine more incidents to Waymo robotaxi investigation”

The incident where a Waymo vehicle ran into a pole ( ▶ this video ) is one of the most head scratching to me, but overall amazingly safe for operating 50,000 paid rides per week.

@webel02024-05 · in “How Waymo outlasted the competition and made robo-taxis a real business”

Waymo is currently under investigation for multiple incidents, not all of which it had previously disclosed to the NHTSA [0]. The recent light pole incident also doesn't help [1]. If they are doing 50k rides a day, then they would appear to have a remarkable safety record. It will be interesting to see if these investigations lead to a repeat of the Cruise debacle or if this will become the price of doing business. [0] link [1] ▶ this video

Critical View on HN