Would you still jump in a Waymo if your ride pulled up the wrong way through a drive-thru?
That was the bizarre dilemma facing a Los Angeles woman on Friday when a driverless car operated by Waymo, the self-driving arm of Google parent company Alphabet, went off-script and entered a drive-thru the wrong way without slowing.
The woman’s son was there as the Waymo ignored the matrix and kept gliding down the wrong-way entry.
His commentary caught the spectacle on video as the self-driving car made its unconventional entrance.
“Way Way! You gotta go through the drive thru the other way!” he can be heard shouting as the car approached.
“My bad, bro, you can’t park here,” he joked as the vehicle rolled into position.
Despite the unconventionally arrival, his mom didn’t hesitate to jump aboard.
“God, Mom, be safe!” he added as she climbed into the vehicle.
.No one knows exactly what caused the mishap, but the strange pickup is the latest example of the real-world challenges facing autonomous vehicles.
During the February floods in Los Angeles, Waymo vehicles were caught stranded in rising waters as heavy rain pounded the city.
It was unclear whether anyone was trapped inside the cars or had already gotten out, despite Waymo previously touting its vehicles’ ability to handle extreme weather.
The company told KXAN it “closely monitors weather conditions” in cities where it operates and “will adjust operations accordingly.”
In a blog post last year, Waymo claimed its vehicles “successfully navigate rain, fog, sandstorms, and freezing temperatures.”
The company has also faced criticism over its reliance on remote operators based overseas.
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