LA Tech Entrepreneur Nearly Misses Flight After Getting Trapped in Robotaxi

Essential brief

Key facts

A Waymo self-driving car malfunctioned, trapping tech entrepreneur Mike Johns in a parking lot loop.

Waymo support was unable to directly control the vehicle during the incident, highlighting current system limitations.

The issue was resolved via a software update, and Johns was not charged for the ride.

Despite the glitch, Johns remains optimistic about autonomous vehicle technology but stresses the need for improvements.

The incident underscores ongoing challenges in consumer trust and safety for driverless cars.

Highlights

A Waymo self-driving car malfunctioned, trapping tech entrepreneur Mike Johns in a parking lot loop.

Waymo support was unable to directly control the vehicle during the incident, highlighting current system limitations.

The issue was resolved via a software update, and Johns was not charged for the ride.

Despite the glitch, Johns remains optimistic about autonomous vehicle technology but stresses the need for improvements.

Mike Johns, a Los Angeles-based tech entrepreneur and futurist, experienced a troubling malfunction while riding in a Waymo autonomous vehicle last month.

On his way to Phoenix's Sky Harbor airport, the self-driving car began circling a parking lot repeatedly, looping eight times and causing Johns to become trapped inside.

Unable to exit due to the vehicle's safety restraints, Johns contacted Waymo support while on the phone, expressing confusion and concern over whether the car had been hacked.

The Waymo representative admitted to having no direct control to stop the vehicle and advised Johns to use the app to intervene.

After several minutes, the issue was resolved, allowing Johns to catch his flight, which was fortunately delayed.

Johns described the experience as a “scene in a sci-fi thriller” and highlighted the disconcerting nature of interacting with a possibly AI-driven support agent.

Despite the incident, he remains optimistic about the future of autonomous vehicles but acknowledges that "glitches need stitches".

Waymo confirmed the "looping event" was addressed through a scheduled software update and that Johns was not charged for the ride.

The company, which operates in multiple US cities and provided over 4 million fully autonomous rides last year, has faced scrutiny following previous incidents involving its vehicles.

Johns views his ordeal as a valuable case study for his upcoming book on AI's impact on jobs, emphasizing the importance of improving consumer trust and system reliability as driverless technology advances.