Congressional Hearing on Autonomous Vehicle Operations
Waymo's Chief Safety Officer, Mauricio Peña, recently addressed a Congressional hearing, fielding questions regarding the company's use of overseas human operators and Chinese-made vehicles. Senator Ed Markey (D-MA) specifically voiced concerns about the safety and security implications of these practices.
Remote Human Assistance Unveiled
Peña clarified that Waymo's human operators, some of whom are located in countries like the Philippines, provide "guidance" to vehicles, rather than remotely driving them. He elaborated that Waymo vehicles request input only in specific situations, always retaining control over dynamic driving tasks. A May 2024 Waymo blog post likened this process to a "phone-a-friend" system, where human fleet response agents offer contextual information or suggest paths, with the vehicle's software consistently remaining in control.
"He suggested that such operations might be susceptible to control by 'hostile actors,' potentially allowing them to weaponize vehicles."
Tesla's VP of vehicle engineering, Lars Moravy, also informed lawmakers that Tesla vehicles utilize similar remote operators. Moravy emphasized that Tesla's driving controls reside within a secure, embedded central layer inaccessible from outside the vehicle, and that the company actively tests its systems against hacking attempts.
Escalating Safety and Security Concerns
Senator Markey expressed significant apprehension that overseas remote operations could introduce cybersecurity vulnerabilities. He cited potential issues stemming from outdated information and the unknown licensing status of foreign operators. Markey suggested that these operations might be susceptible to control by "hostile actors," potentially allowing them to weaponize vehicles.
These discussions emerged following a Waymo robotaxi incident that led to a child's injury, prompting a federal investigation. Separately, Tesla recently paused its "unsupervised" robotaxi rides. Data from the National Highway Traffic Administration (NHTSA) indicates that Tesla's robotaxis are involved in crashes at three times the rate of human-driven vehicles, even when human monitors are present.
The Future of Autonomy and Regulation
The testimonies from both Waymo and Tesla executives highlight the current reliance of "driverless" taxi services on human intervention, particularly for critical navigational decisions, despite not involving direct remote control of the steering. Lawmakers continue to assess the risks associated with autonomous vehicles coexisting with human drivers, with the influence of remote assistance operations becoming a central point of safety inquiry.