Waymo Self-Driving Taxi Drives Onto Train Tracks as Passenger Jumps Out in Panic [Video]

A routine autonomous taxi ride in Phoenix turned into a public safety scare this week after a Waymo vehicle drove directly onto active light rail tracks, prompting a panicked passenger to exit the car as a train approached.

Video

The incident occurred on Wednesday and was captured on video by a bystander. The footage shows the self-driving taxi stopped on the tracks while a light rail train moves toward it. The passenger quickly exits the vehicle and moves away from the tracks, avoiding what could have become a serious collision.

Rather than immediately correcting course, the Waymo vehicle continued traveling along the tracks next to the train, appearing unable to recognize that it was no longer on a roadway. The unusual behavior raised fresh concerns about how autonomous systems respond to unexpected or newly changed environments.

Phoenix police confirmed they received a call reporting the situation. Officers arrived after the vehicle had already left the area. Authorities said there were no reported delays or disruptions to light rail service. The section of track involved was added within the past year, a factor that may have contributed to the navigation failure.

Andrew Maynard, an advanced technology professor at Arizona State University, told local outlets that self-driving systems do not yet have human-level intuition when confronting unfamiliar scenarios. He said incidents like this reflect the ongoing challenges of refining autonomous technology.

Maynard added that autonomous vehicles can still be safer than human drivers because they do not suffer from distraction. However, as incidents involving Waymo continue to surface, questions about readiness and reliability remain front and center for regulators and riders alike.