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A Waymo robotaxi arrives outside San Antonio City Hall. Waymo needs to fix the problems that have surfaced in other cities, and demonstrate that the technology performs reliably under pressure before deploying it to San Antonio’s airport.<\/p>\n
Brandon Lingle\/San Antonio Express-News<\/p>\n
Amy\u00a0Witherite is a traffic safety expert and Texas attorney.<\/p>\n
Courtesy of Amy Witherite<\/p>\n
I’ve spent my career representing people hurt by preventable crashes. In that time, I’ve learned one thing above all else: The moment we decide that convenience matters more than caution, someone pays a price they didn’t agree to pay.<\/p>\n
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That’s why I’m troubled by\u00a0Waymo’s announcement that it has expanded its fully autonomous vehicle service to San Antonio International Airport.<\/a> The company says it’s proud to be the first autonomous ride service to offer airport transportation in Texas.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n I’d be prouder if Waymo had earned that distinction by first resolving the serious, documented problems that have followed their vehicles across the country.<\/p>\n Based on my experience dealing with thousands of auto and trucking accidents, a thoughtfully designed and carefully deployed self-driving technology holds real promise for safer roads.<\/p>\n Promise is not the same as proven.\u00a0<\/p>\n The record Waymo has compiled in cities such as San Francisco, Phoenix, Austin and San Antonio is not that of a technology ready to navigate one of the most chaotic, high-pressure traffic environments that exists like a busy commercial airport.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Reported incidents are easy to find.<\/p>\n Recently, video footage captured a Waymo vehicle\u00a0driving the wrong way in a school zone<\/a> in Alamo Heights.<\/p>\n In Austin, Waymo vehicles were caught on school bus cameras passing stopped buses<\/a> at least 19 times in a single school year, with red lights flashing and children aboard. That triggered a federal investigation and a recall of more than 3,000 vehicles.<\/p>\n A Waymo vehicle was also responsible\u00a0for blocking an EMS ambulance responding to a mass shooting in Austin.<\/a><\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n In Phoenix, a\u00a0Waymo crossed into oncoming traffic near a construction zone \u2014 an officer pulled it over but couldn’t issue a citation because there was no driver. In May 2024, a Waymo struck a utility pole and triggered a separate software recall.<\/p>\n