The Edge of Innovation: Navigating the Bumps in the Road of Self-Driving Technology

Self-driving vehicles are poised to transform passenger travel in the near future by automating, making safer and more efficient the way we get around. But this nascent industry is crashing its way toward a future dominated by robotic drivers, by literally crashing into things. The latest reminder of the hurdles along the path to a true self-driving car is a Waymo (an automotive technology subsidiary of the tech giant Alphabet) recall of 250 of its Waymo Prototype Autonomous Vehicles. It is an embarrassment for a company that has staked its reputation on pushing the envelope of automotive technology. It is also a stark demonstration of the challenges that stand in the way of a rosy picture of a driverless future.

Waymo's Unprecedented Move

Navigating a Miscalculated Edge

Waymo’s recall of its robotaxis over one that collided with a telephone pole travelling 8 MPH in an alley on its way to pick up a rider highlights the challenges of developing vehicles that drive entirely on their own. The car was not occupied and no one was hurt, but the incident underscores why this remains such an unsolved problem: the self-driving algorithm could not properly predict its damageability in a collision with a fixed object, nor did it understand the condition of the urban edge defined by the alleyway.

The Recall Responds

Waymo responded to the incident by not only correcting the specific problem but also taking steps to make sure that such a mistake doesn’t happen again. The company updated software in all 672 of its vehicles shortly after the incident. The fix is meant to correct the software bug that caused the car to judge the pole’s damage threat as low when, in fact, that wasn’t true, and that didn’t take the unusual edges of the alleyway into account. Such speedy action illustrates Waymo’s dedication to safety and innovation, and it also marks the second recall for Waymo (the first was to correct a software glitch that interpreted an event involving a towed vehicle).

The Wider Implications for Self-Driving Companies

The Continuous Learning Curve

Waymo’s recall is a reminder of just how complex it is to create autonomous vehicles capable of navigating the world in the same instinctive, adaptive way as human drivers. It is also a reminder of the critical role that incremental learning and adaptation plays in the software that powers autonomous vehicles. In fact, Waymo’s ability to spot and fix the failure so quickly is reassuring evidence of how robust its safety protocols are, and how rapidly it can improve.

Safety in the Spotlight

But it also shines a light more generally on the self-driving industry, one that shows a need for rigorous safety protocols. As Waymo and its main competitor, Cruise (which had its own deadly incident last year) are being investigated for numerous accidents and incidents, both companies will feel pressure to demonstrate that their cars will keep people safe. That means not only passengers, but everyone from pedestrians to cyclists to other drivers.

The Road Ahead for Waymo and Autonomous Vehicles

Strengthening Trust Through Transparency

Through this hiccup in Waymo’s trajectory, the company’s openness and quick response are key to retaining and building trust with consumers and regulators. By exploring the hurdles and tackling them head-on, Waymo and others can develop a culture of transparency and trust that helps the entire industry progress.

The Edge of Innovation: Embracing Future Challenges

The current stage of self-driving technology is at the very leading edge of what machines can do, and as systems like Waymo’s creep closer to reality, incidents such as this are the kinds of growing pains that we’re going to have to get used to. But they also reveal the potential to innovate, to improve, and to continue pushing for a future in which our roads are safe for all.

What is the "Edge" in Self-Driving Technology?

In the world of autonomous vehicles, edge refers to the outer limits of technological progress – Waymo, for example, has an initiative called the ‘edge’ where the company ‘works to push the limits of what’s possible’. It also refers to the literal and figurative edges that vehicles encounter as they face the challenges of urban landscapes – the curbs, the intersections, the alleys. So, to find the edge, too, involves an oscillation between the art of the new and the need to ensure safety and reliability, what might be described as a two-step of progress and caution, a waltz of the wild and the wilderness, a tango of technology and trenchant practicality.