Seen a robotaxi stopped for no reason? It'll move again soon
Share this @internewscast.com

AUSTIN, Texas (KXAN) Have you seen a robotaxi stop, but the road ahead is clear of obstacles? Over the last week, so did affiliate KXAN employees.

Between May 31 and June 3, multiple self-driving cars stopped on W. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd in front of the KXAN station. The vehicles paused before a low-hanging tree branch.

Waymo robotaxis stop because of a low hanging branch. (KXAN Photo/Ed Zavala)

But after several seconds, the car would enter the oncoming lane and pass the empty space. Human-driven cars navigated the branch without delay after the driverless cars moved.

When a situation like this happens, the vehicle is likely functioning as it should.

The cars, operated by robotaxi company Waymo, use a combination of cameras, radar and lidar to detect objects in front of and around them. A Waymo spokesperson told KXAN that the branch may have been low enough to enter the top part of the cars’ sensor map.

The spokesperson explained that the company approaches these incidents with ample caution. The car notifies a Waymo employee, who will remotely examine and intervene to get the vehicle safely moving again.

And the tree? City of Austin workers stopped by and trimmed the branch Tuesday afternoon.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like

Trump Holds Talks with Rwandan and Congolese Leaders Following Peace Agreement

() President Donald Trump is meeting with the leaders of Congo and…

Locals Astonished by Mysterious Object Lighting Up the Night Sky

ATLANTA – More than 200 individuals in several southern U.S. states have…

Six Americans Arrested in South Korea for Attempting to Deliver Rice and Bibles to North Korea by Sea

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Six U.S. citizens were taken into custody…

Fossil Misclassification Leads to Discovery of New Dog-Sized Dinosaur

() A new species of dinosaur the size of a Labrador retriever…

“Massive Fire Erupts in Sanford Neighborhood Following Home Explosion”

SANFORD, Fla. – On Friday afternoon, a house in Sanford was consumed…

34 Grams of Fentanyl Discovered During Traffic Stop in Johnson City

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL) — On Thursday, a Johnson City man was…

Airport Prepares for Record-Breaking Traffic on July 4th Holiday

As we approach the Fourth of July, the holiday travel surge is…

Supreme Court Decision Doesn’t Favor Either Party: Insights from Chris Sununu

() Despite some crowning Friday’s Supreme Court ruling as a victory for President…

Federal Student Loan Borrowing Caps Under Review by Congress

Congress is currently working through the specifics of President Trump’s “big, beautiful”…

California Governor Gavin Newsom Files $787 Million Lawsuit Against Fox News

() California Gov. Gavin Newsom has accused Fox News of defamation in…

Supreme Court Restricts Nationwide Injunctions in Birthright Citizenship Ruling

WASHINGTON () The U.S. Supreme Court has granted President Donald Trump’s request…

UVA President Jim Ryan Steps Down Following DOJ Pressure

UPDATE: UVA president speaks on resignation, says he won’t put university at…