Man nearly misses flight after dizzying ride in circling Waymo at airport
- Mike Johns encountered difficulties while using a Waymo car, which circled the airport parking lot multiple times.
- Despite Johns' calls for help, the car did not stop for considerable time, leaving him anxious about potentially missing his flight.
- Waymo later stated that Johns' delay was only five minutes and assured improvements had been made through software updates.
In Arizona, Mike Johns faced a frustrating incident on his way to the airport when the autonomous Waymo car he was riding in began to circle the airport parking lot aimlessly. This incident occurred recently, as reported in the LA Times. Johns was attempting to reach the airport in order to catch his flight back to Los Angeles. However, the driverless vehicle's erratic behavior left him feeling anxious and confused, feeling like he was part of a bizarre movie rather than a typical travel experience. While trapped in the car, Johns recorded himself and contacted Waymo's customer service team, desperately asking for assistance. He expressed concerns about the car being hacked or malfunctioning, and was met with a response from the customer service associate, who assured him that efforts would be made to stop the vehicle. Despite these efforts, it took some time for the vehicle to cease its circling, leading to heightened tension for Johns, who was concerned that he might miss his flight. He noted in his video that he was wearing a seatbelt and could not exit the car, which intensified his feelings of helplessness during the ordeal. Following the incident, Johns updated his LinkedIn post to clarify that he almost missed his flight, which differs from his initial claim stating he missed it. Waymo later confirmed that he was only delayed by five minutes and was subsequently taken to his destination. The company also indicated that the problems leading to cars circling in parking lots have been addressed through recent software updates. Johns expressed disappointment in Waymo's customer service, noting a lack of empathy and emotional support in their assistance during and after the experience. He used hashtags such as #empathy and #robotic to convey his dissatisfaction. This incident gained further attention, highlighting ongoing issues with the adoption of autonomous vehicle technology, especially in critical moments where quick and effective customer support is crucial. As autonomous technologies continue to evolve, the implications of such incidents may pose challenges not only for users but also for companies invested in driverless systems.