Posted on 02/05/2026 8:25:20 AM PST by T.B. Yoits
Waymo‘s Chief Safety Officer disclosed Wednesday that some of the remote operators who assist its self-driving vehicles in navigating difficult scenarios are based in the Philippines.
Mauricio Peña, the company’s Chief Safety Officer, confirmed under questioning that the Alphabet subsidiary employs human operators abroad to provide guidance to its robotaxis when they encounter challenging driving situations. Ad ends in 5
Peña noted that the vehicles remain in control of all driving tasks at all times.
“They provide guidance. They do not remotely drive the vehicles,” Peña told the Senate committee. “The Waymo vehicle is always in charge of the dynamic driving tasks, so that is just one additional input.”
When pressed on how many operators are located outside the United States, Peña said he did not have the breakdown available, escalating frustration from senators.
“It just seems kind of curious that you don’t know that answer,” one senator responded, before asking in which countries the operators are located.
“The Philippines,” Peña replied.
The disclosure drew immediate pushback from lawmakers, who raised concerns about cybersecurity vulnerabilities, outdated information relays, and the qualifications of overseas operators.
“Having people overseas influencing American vehicles is a safety issue,” the senator said. “The information the operators receive could be out of date. It could introduce tremendous cybersecurity vulnerabilities. We don’t know if these people have US driver’s licenses.”
The senator also criticized the labor implications, noting that Waymo’s autonomous vehicles are already displacing taxi and rideshare drivers in the United States.
“It’s one thing when a taxi is replaced by an Uber or a Lyft. It’s another thing when the jobs just go completely overseas,” the senator added.
(Excerpt) Read more at eletric-vehicles.com ...
So, the intervention by the remote operator that the Chief Safety Officer replies to from the question at 1:20 was to take which action that the car would not already take?
The car could shut itself off, flash the lights, play the radio, honk the horn, etc. all by itself. The only intervention the Chief Safety Officer is replying about is taking the controls.
“the Chief Safety Officer is replying about is taking the controls.”
Nope.
So you were there. Got it.
And all of windows on the parked cars were painted over solid.
And there were no gaps between the cars to see her running across the sidewalk.
“could see her running across the sidewalk, see the reactions of those around her, see her through the windshield, “
So you were there. Got it.
With an automated car that's running, you have two interventions - shut it off, which the car could do in its own and doesn't require intervention, or take control.
“And all of windows on the parked cars were painted over solid.”
LOL! The girl was too short to be seen through the windows.
Interesting fact. The girl darted from behind a double-parked SUV.
Double-parked by a human.
Ball goes into street, look out for kid to follow.
One kid runs into the street, expect another.
Dog runs into street, expect kid to follow.
It's right there in the driver's manual but apparently not there in the programming manual nor the remote operator's manual.
“Ball goes into street, look out for kid to follow.
One kid runs into the street, expect another.
Dog runs into street, expect kid to follow.”
No ball. No second kid. No dog.
“It’s right there in the driver’s manual but apparently not there in the programming manual nor the remote operator’s manual.”
How do you know?
Double-parking is not illegal.
Double-parking is expected near elementary schools.
Human drivers can see through and around double parked vehicles.
Human drivers expect people to get in and out of vehicles, but especially ones there to pick up or drop off passengers.
The automated car wasn't programmed for that and the remote operator was... well... who knows?
Good.
Thanks
“Double-parking is not illegal.”
Stop posting fake facts. Someone might believe you and get a ticket.
“The automated car wasn’t programmed for that and the remote operator was... well... who knows?”
Stop posting falsely.
You don’t know what is programmed.
There was no intervention by a remote operator before the accident.
“Human drivers expect people to get in and out of vehicles,”
Then why do we keep seeing people exiting vehicles getting hit?
Is “fake fact” a thing — oxymoron?
If it was programmed for that, it wouldn’t have happened.
“With an automated car that’s running, you have two interventions - shut it off, which the car could do in its own and doesn’t require intervention, or take control.”
Keep displaying your ignorance.
“Is “fake fact” a thing — oxymoron?”
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A “fake fact” is a statement presented as if it were true—with the authority or structure of a fact—but which is actually false, fabricated, or inaccurate. It is a core component of misinformation, designed to deceive, manipulate, or create false narratives.
Here is a breakdown of related concepts:
Key Definitions & Distinctions
Misinformation: Information that is false, but not necessarily created with the intention to cause harm (e.g., an honest mistake or rumor).
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Fake News: False or misleading information presented as legitimate news, often used to damage reputations or for financial gain.
Common Misconception (Factoid): A belief often accepted as true but which is actually false, usually stemming from urban legends or superstition.
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Fabricated Content: Entirely false information created to deceive.
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Satire/Parody: Information that is not true, but created for humor or criticism rather than deception (though it can sometimes be mistaken for real news).
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Illusory Truth Effect: Repeated exposure to a false statement makes it seem more credible, regardless of its accuracy.
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To avoid falling for fake facts, it is crucial to verify sources, check for consensus among reliable news outlets, and be wary of information that triggers strong emotional reactions.
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“
If it was programmed for that, it wouldn’t have happened.”
So you were there. Got it.
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