'Incompetent' Driverless Cars Wreak Havoc on San Francisco

'Incompetent' Driverless Cars Wreak Havoc on San Francisco  By SF Gate, June 9, 2023

A Waymo autonomous vehicle driving along California Street in San Francisco.

While Cruise brags its cars have “state-of-the-art computer vision” that allows them to operate even “in the darkest of nights,” they’ve been stumped by simple intersections.

In San Francisco, autonomous vehicles (AVs) from Cruise and Waymo are undergoing "rigorous" training on local roadways, raising safety concerns among residents.

Both companies received approval from the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) for their AVs to carry passengers through designated regions of the city.

The CPUC appears ready to approve further expansions for the companies, despite complaints from local transportation agencies that the AVs cause traffic congestion and put pedestrians, drivers, and emergency personnel at risk.

In a January open letter to the CPUC, the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) reported an increase in 911 calls about AVs driving erratically, blocking lanes, or stopping in the middle of the road.

SFMTA's Stephen Chun said, "In the short term, we need AVs to demonstrate that they can operate on our streets without creating new hazards."

From SF Gate  View Full Article