Overview of Are Waymos Driving More Like Humans?
This mini-episode of The Journal (WSJ & Spotify Studios) explores reports from San Francisco that Waymo’s driverless taxis — once extremely cautious and slow — are being updated to drive more assertively, sometimes mimicking human behaviors (including aggressive moves and “California stops”). Reporter Katie Bindley collects firsthand observations, interviews witnesses and Waymo representatives, and discusses safety, company strategy, and emerging legal questions.
Key points and takeaways
- Local observers noticed Waymos behaving more assertively: taking the right-of-way at four-way stops, switching lanes in tight tunnels, initiating movement before pedestrians fully clear crosswalks, and possibly doing partial “California stops.”
- Waymo confirms it is intentionally tuning its vehicles to be “more confidently assertive” via regular software updates to better function in busy urban traffic like San Francisco.
- Waymo’s safety claims: the company reports about 100 million driverless miles across cities and says it has 91% fewer crashes causing serious injury or worse compared with human drivers.
- There are documented instances where police pulled over Waymo vehicles for traffic violations; officers currently can’t cite a car with no human driver, raising regulatory questions.
- Public reaction is mixed: some fans (including children) love Waymos; other drivers and residents have long complained about their excessive caution. The shift toward assertiveness aims to reduce traffic disruption caused by overcautious behavior.
Notable examples and anecdotes
- Katie Bindley’s anecdote: a Waymo at a four-way stop asserted itself and proceeded first, surprising nearby human drivers.
- A Waymo playing music (TLC’s “Creep”) with windows down — an entertaining, humanizing observation.
- Sophia Yen’s report: two Waymos switched lanes quickly in a rarely lane-changing Chinatown tunnel.
- Reported pedestrian interactions: some observers said Waymos began moving before pedestrians were fully out of crosswalks.
- Police encounters: a Waymo was pulled during a DUI checkpoint; another was stopped for an alleged illegal U-turn and responded via a remote operator apology.
Waymo’s explanation and safety stance
- Company position (Chris Ludwig, senior director of product management): Waymo has been deliberately adjusting driving behavior to be more assertive to scale operations in busy urban environments and reduce disruption when vehicles are too passive.
- Waymo emphasizes compliance with traffic laws and says changes are part of controlled software updates, not rogue behavior.
- Safety metrics cited by Waymo: 100 million driverless miles and substantially fewer severe crashes relative to human drivers.
Legal, regulatory, and social implications
- Enforcement gap: police can stop autonomous vehicles but currently lack a straightforward mechanism to issue citations to a vehicle with no human driver; regulatory frameworks are evolving.
- Trade-off: making AVs more assertive may improve traffic flow and integration with human drivers but could increase friction in edge cases (e.g., near-pedestrian interactions).
- Public perception matters: shifting from overly cautious to assertive behavior affects trust, acceptance, and complaints from city residents and other road users.
What to watch next
- Independent data on whether increased assertiveness changes crash or injury rates.
- How regulators adapt to enforcement and liability questions around driverless vehicles.
- Waymo’s transparency about decision thresholds (how it balances assertiveness vs. caution) and post-update performance reporting.
- Broader industry responses: whether other AV operators follow similar behavior adjustments.
Notable quotes
- Chris Ludwig (Waymo): Waymo has “been trying to make the cars more confidently assertive.”
- Waymo (company claim): Waymos have logged “100 million driverless miles” with “91% fewer crashes involving a serious injury or worse” compared with human drivers.
Overall, the episode highlights a deliberate shift in Waymo’s tuning from ultra-cautious driving toward more humanlike assertiveness to better integrate into busy city traffic — a technical and regulatory balancing act with clear implications for safety, enforcement, and public acceptance.