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

Georgia Bureau of Investigation Detains Individual in Emanuel County During Child Molestation Probe

TWIN CITY, Ga. () – A 41-year-old man from Twin City has…

Forward Through Ferguson Provides Guidance to Massey Commission for Final Report Completion

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA) — On Monday, the Massey Commission convened a meeting…

Dr. Malinda Cobb Appointed as New Superintendent for Richmond County Schools

AUGUSTA, Ga. – The Richmond County Board of Education has chosen Dr.…

Lake County Greenlights Land Purchase for Significant Britt Road Repairs

LAKE COUNTY, Fla. – On Tuesday, Lake County commissioners decided to acquire…

North Carolina Woman Arrested Following Stabbing Incident in Hilton Head Island

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, Ga. () — A vacation in a Hilton Head…

White House Official Announces National Guard Deployment in DC Scheduled for Today

() National Guard troops are expected to be on the ground in…

White House Initiates Evaluation of Smithsonian Museums

(The Hill) – White House officials are launching a review of some…

A USPS employee who showed off piles of money on social media confesses to stealing checks from the mail.

A Los Angeles woman who flaunted luxury goods and wads of cash…

11-Year-Old Girl Hospitalized Following Mountain Lion Attack at Malibu Residence

An 11-year-old girl who suffered significant injuries in a mountain lion attack…

DC Imposes Fines and Jail for Homeless Individuals Declining Assistance

() A day after President Trump deployed the National Guard to Washington,…

California State Assembly Candidate Prioritizes Issues Over Party Lines

() Politicians come in all shapes and sizes. Still, Dick Lucas of…

Budget Office Reports GOP’s Bill May Benefit the Rich at the Expense of the Poor

(The Hill) – The Republicans’ “big, beautiful bill” is set to worsen…