by Jonathan van Bilsen
Self-driving vehicles are certainly here to stay, but they do come with a series of defects which need to be ironed out.
In a quiet corner of San Francisco, a curious scene has unfolded. Autonomous taxis, owned by Waymo, formerly known as the Google Self-Driving Cars, have recently made a car park their home between assignments. Their arrival, once a source of interest and expectation among residents, has turned into a surprising challenge. An unexpected update to these self-driving vehicles caused them to sound their horns, whenever another car reversed too close, disrupting the peace of the neighbourhood.
Christopher Cherry, who lives nearby, initially welcomed Waymo's presence, believing the cars would enhance the area's security and maintain a quiet atmosphere. However, as the vehicles began to park and depart throughout the day and night, their incessant honking quickly became a nuisance. What began as occasional horn sounds soon escalated, with the honking becoming a nightly disturbance which left Mr. Cherry and others struggling to get a good night’s sleep.
One resident, driven by frustration, decided to take matters into her own hands, by setting up a livestream of the car park on YouTube. This unusual broadcast quickly gained attention, attracting tens of thousands of viewers from around the globe. The stream offered a real-time glimpse into the nightly activities of these autonomous vehicles, with viewers eagerly awaiting the early morning departures and the ensuing noise.
Sophia Tung, the resident behind the livestream, captured the mounting frustration in her videos, often signing off with pleas for help, as the honking persisted late into the night. The daily disruption peaked around 4 a.m., coinciding with the cars’ early morning departure to their charging depot. Viewers of the livestream began referring to this event as a ‘parade’, with hundreds tuning in to witness the spectacle.
The situation became so popular, Ms. Tung’s followers even created a Google spreadsheet, to log noteworthy moments from the stream, including excessive honking and unusual parking manoeuvres by the autonomous taxis.
After weeks of disturbance, Waymo acknowledged the issue. A spokesperson for the company explained, the honking feature was initially introduced to prevent low-speed collisions, when cars reversed too close to each other. However, the frequency of these incidents in the car park was unforeseen.
Following complaints, Waymo adjusted the software, and as the taxis left the car park at 4 a.m., on a recent morning, the honking had ceased. Ms. Tung confirmed, to her live audience, the problem seemed to be resolved, bringing an end to this unexpected chapter in the neighbourhood.
If you find yourself bored on a Saturday night, you can always watch the live stream, at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h53xlXu_6C4
Jonathan van Bilsen is a television host, award winning photographer, published author, columnist and keynote speaker. Watch his show, ‘The Jonathan van Bilsen Show’, on RogersTV, the Standard Website and YouTube and follow his adventures at photosNtravel.com
Comentarios