Waymo Riders Are Falling Asleep, Finding Trash, Giving Birth And Tracking Dog Poop Into Their Robotaxis

As robotaxi services from companies like Waymo, Zoox, and Tesla expand, they’re encountering the unpredictable behavior of humans. Riders have been found falling asleep, spilling drinks, dropping food, and even giving birth in the vehicles. In Austin, Texas, first responders have named the phenomenon of riders falling asleep as ‘sleepers,’ with 99 such calls made to 9-1-1 in the first nine months of service. Remote assistants try to wake them by yelling through the car’s speakers, and if that doesn’t work, they call 9-1-1. Waymo has a team of specialized agents to coordinate with first responders during incidents, and riders can reach out to 911 directly or contact Waymo’s remote support staff via the in-car tablet. The company has also designed incentives to keep passengers from messing up their cars, such as charging users $50 for leaving a moderate mess. Tesla charges users $50 for leaving a moderate mess like a food spill, while smoking or leaving behind bio-waste will cost $150. Despite the challenges, some riders, like Sarah Vasile, consider the robotaxis cleaner than most human-driven cabs or rideshares. Vasile has found trash and alcohol left inside some vehicles but was not charged for cleaning after tracking dog poop into a Waymo.