Watch a $100,000 self-driving car get stuck going in circles at a roundabout
There’s a lot of buzz surrounding self-driving cars. On the one hand, proponents of autonomous cars and taxis believe the technology could solve many modern transportation issues. However, critics assert that full-self-driving (FSD) architecture has a spotty-at-best safety record in early iterations. It certainly doesn’t help the plight of self-driving cars and autonomous EVs when a Waymo One autonomous vehicle got stuck looping a small roundabout in Phoenix.
Everyone in this self-driving car would probably need a barf bag after this roundabout orbit
An Instagram video showed a white self-driving car spinning round and round in a parking lot. The SUV, a Waymo One autonomous vehicle, couldn’t seem to shake the appeal of a small sandy planter with a few wind-swept palm trees. It continuously orbited the roundabout until the short video ended.
The Waymo One fleet consists of fully-electric Jaguar I-PACE SUVs. As you might imagine, an autonomous Jaguar I-PACE isn’t a cheap affair. You won’t likely get a straight answer from Waymo regarding exactly how much it costs to purchase, prep, and field one of these smart taxis. However, popular estimates put each autonomous vehicle at between $100,000 and $200,000.
Mind you, the video is clearly sped up. If you doubt that, part of a blue Dodge Journey enters the frame as it reverses out of a parking spot. Frankly, the Waymo SUV and the Journey look like part of a dated British comedy. You only need to pipe in the silly music to complete the look.
According to Neo Niche, there weren’t any passengers on board as the self-driving car performed its continuous trek around a small parking lot roundabout. Still, the lack of riders didn’t keep commenters from rejecting the autonomous taxi cab. One vocal critic responded with “Another reason I wouldn’t bother getting into this trap.” Another viewer commented, “This happens to bugs sometimes.”
Now, Neo Niche suggested that the Waymo taxi’s directional challenge had a quick fix. A spokesperson from the autonomous taxi company told TechCrunch that a software update made short work of the issue.
