Two Passengers Report Feeling Trapped in Waymo Car During Sensor Obstruction

Two incidents involving Waymo autonomous vehicles occurred in San Francisco. In the first incident on Saturday, Robert Moreno and his husband were passengers in a Waymo vehicle when a person who appeared homeless tried to cover the vehicle's sensors as the light turned green during nighttime in pouring rain. The passengers felt trapped and panicked, unsure whether it was safe to exit the vehicle. They contacted Waymo support, and the person eventually walked away. Waymo advised that when a pedestrian attacks the vehicle, riders should remain inside. In the second incident on Tuesday, February 6th at 17th Street and Mississippi Street in the Potrero Hill neighborhood, a Waymo vehicle hit a cyclist. The vehicle was stopped at a four-way intersection when a large truck proceeded through. When the Waymo's turn came, it moved into the intersection, but the cyclist was hidden behind the truck and quickly followed it, crossing into the Waymo's path. When the cyclist became visible, the vehicle applied heavy braking but could not avoid the collision. The cyclist reportedly suffered only minor scratches and left the scene on their own. UC Berkeley researcher Scott Moura noted that current autonomous vehicle technology is not yet at human-level safety.