Robotaxis Wreak Havoc on Urban Transit

“Robotaxis appeared with promises of safety, accessibility, and environmental benefits. The appeal is clear: driverless taxis eliminate the need for human drivers, theoretically reducing human error in accidents and lowering transportation costs for the public.” But as an article in Cities of the Future explains and Planetizen has chronicled, their impact on the rest of the transportation system and urban infrastructure becomes more evident.

Waymo, for example, touts its extensive safety protocols, with each vehicle equipped with a suite of sensors, including lidar, radar, and cameras that can operate with higher precision than human vision. Early data seems to indicate that, in controlled environments, robotaxis have lower accident rates than human-driven cars​, but high-profile crashes involving autonomous cars have created an atmosphere of mistrust.

“The rollout could have been smoother. Cities like San Francisco have already seen issues with these vehicles interacting poorly with emergency services and blocking public transit lanes, causing frustration among officials and residents. Incidents in which AVs halt suddenly in traffic or interfere with emergency responders highlight concerns about their readiness for the unpredictable nature of urban driving. In response, some residents have attempted to disable AVs by placing traffic cones on their hoods, expressing a belief that these vehicles may worsen, rather than improve, traffic congestion and public safety​.”