A number of empty Waymo robotaxis drove into Atlanta neighborhoods and circled around cul-de-sacs while waiting for passengers.
The problem has been ongoing, with robotaxis circling as a holding pattern for long periods.
A resident in one affected neighborhood along Atlanta’s Battleview Drive told WANF on Thursday, “I think yesterday morning, we had 50 cars that came through between 6 and 7 [a.m.].”
Other residents told Atlanta’s WSB-TV that the Waymo robotaxis began appearing a couple of months ago.
People were able to put signs in the street as a way to block the robotaxis. A resident said that as a result, “eight Waymos were stuck trying to figure out how to turn around.”
Deborah Childers, who lives near Battleview Drive, told WANF, “I’m just hoping that Waymo will only come in our neighborhood when they’re called … not use our neighborhood as a holding area or a training ground. It’s enough of them that it’s bothersome. It’s not like one. It’s like three or maybe four. They do the same loop.”
A spokesperson for Waymo, a subsidiary of Google parent company Alphabet, told automotive news site Jalopnik, “We take community feedback seriously and have already addressed this routing behavior. … We value our relationship with Atlanta residents and remain focused on providing a seamless, respectful and safe experience for riders and residents alike.”
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