A Cruise self-driving car confronted an unexpected setback when it turned trapped in moist concrete whereas traversing San Francisco’s Western Addition on a Tuesday afternoon.
Native resident Paul Harvey, residing within the space, recounted the incident throughout an interview with SFGATE. He witnessed the automotive immobilized at a building web site alongside Golden Gate Avenue, located between Fillmore and Steiner Streets. The car was unoccupied on the time.
Harvey expressed his considerations, noting potential risks stemming from such occurrences. “I can see 5 totally different eventualities the place unhealthy issues occur and that is one in all them,” he commented. “It thinks it’s a highway and it ain’t as a result of it ain’t acquired a mind and it could possibly’t inform that it’s freshly poured concrete.”
A Cruise autonomous car caught in moist concrete on Golden Gate Avenue (Picture: Courtesy of Paul Harvey)
Later, he noticed people working to extract the car from the concrete, efficiently pulling it again onto the highway. A spokesperson from Cruise confirmed that firm staff have been accountable for the car’s removing, and the automotive has been reclaimed by the corporate.
Though Harvey stays skeptical of autonomous automobiles, he acknowledged a key benefit highlighted by Cruise and Waymo – the propensity of human drivers to make errors. He emphasised his personal cautious driving habits when approaching inexperienced site visitors lights, illustrating the potential for unpredictable human habits. Nonetheless, he maintained reservations about self-driving automobiles, describing them as “creepy.”
Cruise’s fleet confronted challenges throughout the current Exterior Lands occasion, the place a number of automobiles encountered disruptions resulting from wi-fi connectivity points. Moreover, a viral TikTok video showcased a Cruise car stranded at a vital intersection close to Golden Gate Park.
Final week, the California Public Utilities Fee voted to develop the providers of Cruise and Waymo in San Francisco, a choice that was met with some controversy. Waymo reported a formidable 100,000 people on its San Francisco service waitlist, with plans to grant entry to the service within the coming weeks.
This incident with a Cruise car changing into ensnared in moist concrete serves as a reminder of the complexities concerned in autonomous driving know-how; Whereas the advantages of eliminating human error are evident, sudden challenges underscore the continuing journey towards secure and seamless self-driving experiences.
Filed in . Learn extra about Autonomous Cars and Autonomous Driving.
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