Reports have emerged of women facing harassment while using driverless taxis in San Francisco. Men have been seen chasing or blocking the autonomous vehicles, raising concerns about passenger safety in these increasingly popular services.
Waymo, a prominent provider of robotic taxi services, introduced its fares in the city of California two years ago. Initially met with enthusiasm from residents cautious of traditional taxi drivers, the service is now under scrutiny due to a series of alarming incidents involving men misusing the driverless technology to follow or intimidate passengers.
Stephanie, a tech worker, recounted a disturbing experience to the Washington Post. While traveling home late at night with her sister, they were pursued by a group of men in another car. The men drove recklessly close to their taxi, honking and shouting inappropriate comments. Stephanie expressed her unease and highlighted the lack of control in rerouting her journey to protect her home address, a decision she could have made if a human driver were present. When she called emergency services for help, she was informed that sending police to a moving vehicle was not feasible. Despite her request for the car’s video footage to identify the harassers, Waymo reportedly declined to cooperate, leaving Stephanie feeling vulnerable and frustrated.
Similarly, a social media video shared by Amina, a growth engineer from San Francisco, captured a troubling encounter with two men who blocked her Waymo taxi, demanding her phone number. Instead of intervening or driving away from the situation, the autonomous vehicle remained stationary, prolonging the distressing interaction. Amina’s plea for the men to cease their harassment was met with resistance, as they persisted in obstructing traffic and causing distress.
In another incident, a video circulated on social media showed hooded men vandalizing a Waymo taxi with permanent markers, defacing the vehicle’s exterior while a man in the front seat held a small dog. Such acts of vandalism not only pose a threat to the safety of the autonomous vehicles but also create an environment of fear and insecurity for both passengers and the community at large.
Further exacerbating the concerns surrounding the safety of driverless taxis, an arson attack targeted a Waymo vehicle in San Francisco’s Chinatown district. While the taxi was unoccupied at the time, the deliberate act of setting it ablaze underscores the risks associated with these autonomous services and the potential for escalating violence.
Additionally, Elliot, a tech worker in San Francisco, shared a harrowing encounter where a man brandishing what appeared to be a knife attempted to forcibly enter his Waymo taxi late one night. Reflecting on the incident, Elliot expressed a sense of helplessness, wishing for a swift escape from the dangerous situation.
In response to these distressing events, a Waymo spokesman acknowledged the seriousness of the incidents and reassured the public of their commitment to passenger safety. While emphasizing the rarity of such occurrences, the spokesman affirmed the availability of support staff to assist passengers in distress and cooperate with law enforcement as needed.
