Waymo's operational reports or official statements detailing interventions

Waymo's Self-Driving Taxis to Contact Emergency Services for Drunk Passengers on New Year's Eve

Jan 1, 2025, 07:47 PM

Waymo, the self-driving taxi service, has outlined its protocol for handling passengers who pass out drunk in its vehicles, particularly relevant during New Year's Eve celebrations. If a passenger does not exit the vehicle upon reaching the destination, the car's cameras, equipped with machine-learning models, assess the situation. If the passenger appears incapacitated, a human employee reviews the situation via the vehicle's cameras. If confirmed, a rider support agent will attempt to communicate with the passenger through the car's customer service interface. If there is no response, emergency services are contacted. This procedure aims to ensure passenger safety and has not yet been reported in San Francisco, where Waymo operates. Waymo's technology, which is 72% less likely to be involved in an injury-causing collision compared to human drivers, includes 360-degree monitoring and can detect various in-car activities from 300 yards away. AI can analyze activity within the vehicle to help determine if a rider is incapacitated, and rider support agents are always available to assist.