Waymo Riders Are Falling Asleep, Finding Trash, Giving Birth And Tracking Dog Poop Into Their Robotaxis

While robotaxis might take the slightly annoying task of having to talk to another human out of the equation, many riders are finding that their cars aren't exactly in the greatest shape thanks to their fellow passengers. They're also discovering that the absence of a human driver means it's pretty easy to, well, fall asleep, and if you're a particularly heavy sleeper, that can be a real issue.

As these services from companies like Waymo, Zoox, and Tesla expand across the country and globe, they're running into the grosser aspects of humans' unpredictable behavior, according to Bloomberg. Folks have been spilling drinks, dropping food, puking, experiencing medical emergencies, giving birth, or just forgetting to close the car's door — which forces the company to pay a nearby gig worker to do it for them.

It makes a guy sleeping and having 9-1-1 called to wake up not sound all that bad, except it sort of is, as it's becoming a real drain on municipal resources. There have been so many instances of robotaxi riders falling asleep during rides, that first responders in Austin, Texas have actually named the phenomenon: "sleepers." In just the first nine months of service in the city, 99 such calls were made to 9-1-1, Bloomberg reports. Remote assistants will first try to wake them by yelling through the car's speakers; if that doesn't work, company protocol is often for them to call 9-1-1, and police have to assume the worst. In the end, just 3% of such calls require a passenger actually be taken to the hospital.

Still, there are some legitimate medical emergencies, and these companies need to be prepared, as Bloomberg explains:

Waymo has a team of specialized, US-based agents dedicated to coordinating with first responders during incidents, according to the company's written testimony to US Senator Ed Markey in February. Riders who experience a medical emergency can reach out to 911 directly or contact Waymo's remote support staff via the in-car tablet. Zoox passengers can press the "emergency call" button located above them, on the screen, or on their app to connect with a support representative who will contact first responders as necessary, according to a company spokesperson.

In December of last year, a passenger in San Francisco on the way to the hospital gave birth in the back seat of a Waymo. The remote assistant checked in on the rider and called first responders after the vehicle detected "unusual activity." It marked at least the second Waymo-based delivery.

All three of the major robotaxi players have designed incentives in an attempt to keep passengers from messing up their cars, since no one is physically there to make sure they don't. Tesla will charge users $50 for leaving a moderate mess like a food spill; smoking or leaving behind bio-waste will cost you $150, according to Bloomberg. Waymo is a bit more trusting, prompting users to report their own spills. It charges them a $50 cleaning fee that can jump to $100 if the next passenger discovers it first, with repeat offenders charged more. Of course, these cars are all fitted with a smattering of interior cameras to keep a watchful eye over the folks inside.

One of my best buddies (and an old roommate, who just-so-happens to be sitting next to me right now) spoke to Bloomberg about what she's seen — and brought into — her Waymos:

Sarah Vasile, a frequent Waymo rider in Los Angeles, has found trash and alcohol left inside some vehicles. Her roommate recently took a ride during which BuzzBallz rolled out from beneath the seat. Still, Vasile considers the robotaxis cleaner than most human-driven cabs or rideshares.

Last year, Vasile realized she had stepped in dog poop just before her Waymo arrived. She hit the call button on the back screen of the car to report the issue to Waymo remote assistants, who thanked her and said the car would return to its depot after her trip was done. She wasn't charged for cleaning.

Still, ol' Sarah is a fan of Waymo, telling Jalopnik in an exclusive sitting-on-my-couch interview that Waymo was "super cool about the poop."