Residents of Miami have expressed fury after a driverless Waymo vehicle brought traffic to a standstill by stopping inexplicably on a key bridge. The incident, which occurred on Monday, has ignited a fierce debate about the safety and readiness of autonomous vehicles on public roads.
Chaos on the Venetian Causeway
Footage from the scene showed the white Waymo robotaxi frozen at a green light on the Venetian Causeway Bridge. As the vehicle remained motionless, traffic quickly backed up behind it, with frustrated drivers sounding their horns. The situation escalated when a yellow Jeep, trapped behind the stationary Waymo, was compelled to swerve into oncoming traffic to navigate around the obstruction.
This disruptive event took place mere months after Waymo rolled out its fully autonomous service in Miami. The company, which began operating driverless Jaguar I-PACEs in the city in November following a period of supervised testing, confirmed the vehicle was unoccupied at the time. Waymo plans to launch its public ride-hailing service in Miami later this year.
Official and Public Backlash
The incident prompted immediate condemnation from local officials. Miami-Dade County Commissioner Roberto J. Gonzalez led the criticism, taking to social media platform X to voice serious safety concerns. "Miami-Dade welcomes innovation, but never at the expense of public safety," Gonzalez stated. He insisted that critical issues like vehicles freezing in traffic "must be fully resolved before any deployment."
Public reaction on social media was sharply divided. Many users echoed the commissioner's worries, with one local warning Waymo: "this isn’t California. Miami doesn’t tolerate reckless rollouts." Others pointed out the specific danger of the bridge location, noting it could cause traffic problems for hours. However, some defended the technology, arguing that the vehicles are still learning and ultimately drive more cautiously than aggressive human motorists.
Waymo's Response and Unanswered Questions
In response to the incident, a Waymo spokesperson told media that safety is the company's "highest priority." The spokesperson added, "We are committed to learning from situations like this to improve for the future."
Key details about the event remain unclear, including how or when the immobilized vehicle was eventually removed from the bridge. Authorities have been contacted for further information. The episode serves as a stark reminder of the growing pains associated with integrating advanced autonomous technology into complex, real-world urban environments.
