Drivers Remain Skeptical of Fully Autonomous Cars
Keyphrase: self-driving cars
Introduction: The presence of driverless taxi company Waymo’s cars in San Francisco’s parking lots has raised concerns among residents. These vehicles, when not out on the road, seem to come alive at night, honking at each other and disrupting the peace of the neighborhood.
Disruptive Honking at Night
In the early hours of the morning, residents were disturbed by the sound of Waymo’s cars honking at each other in parking lots. The disruptive honking, a safety feature meant to prevent collisions, was rather unexpected and frequent in their own idle space.
Randol White, a witness to the disturbances, reported hearing multiple horn blasts, with the peak occurring around 4 a.m. Neighbors were also perturbed by the noise levels at such late hours.
Waymo’s Response and Updates
Waymo addressed the honking issue by acknowledging the feature designed to alert other vehicles when in close proximity. The company stated that they were surprised by the frequency of the honking in their parking lots and have since updated the software to reduce the noise levels.
Furthermore, a video shared on social media captured the scene of multiple Waymo cars honking at each other in the parking lot, adding a humorous but disruptive element to the situation.
Current Availability and Future Plans
Despite the noise complaints, Waymo’s driverless taxi service is available to users in Phoenix, San Francisco, and Los Angeles via the company’s app. As the technology continues to evolve, Waymo aims to enhance the user experience while minimizing disruptions to the surrounding community.
Transition words such as “furthermore,” “despite,” and “as the technology continues to evolve” help to guide the reader through the different sections of the article smoothly.