【特稿】美国调查Waymo无人驾驶出租车因停电“集体趴窝”

Core Viewpoint - Waymo's autonomous taxis experienced significant operational issues during a large-scale power outage in San Francisco, leading to increased traffic congestion and prompting an investigation by California regulators [1][2][3] Group 1: Incident Overview - On December 20, a power outage caused by a transformer fire affected approximately 130,000 users in San Francisco, with power not fully restored by December 22 [2] - Waymo's autonomous taxis became immobilized at intersections during the outage, exacerbating traffic congestion and causing public frustration [2] - The company temporarily suspended its taxi services on the evening of December 20 and resumed operations by the afternoon of December 21 [2] Group 2: Regulatory Response - The California Public Utilities Commission announced an investigation into the incident following the power outage and the resulting traffic issues caused by Waymo's taxis [3] - Concerns had previously been raised by city officials and emergency services regarding the potential risks of autonomous taxis becoming immobilized in emergency situations [3] Group 3: Expert Opinions - Experts highlighted that the immobilization of Waymo's taxis was not due to software failure but rather operational management issues, as the system struggled to handle multiple vehicles needing remote support simultaneously [3] - There are warnings that if a major disaster occurs, such as an earthquake, the presence of numerous immobilized autonomous taxis could lead to severe consequences for emergency response [3] - Some experts argue that urban infrastructure is not yet prepared for the widespread integration of highly automated vehicles, suggesting the need for a human backup mechanism in autonomous systems [3]