A Waymo autonomous vehicle's collision with an elementary school student in San Francisco has intensified scrutiny of self-driving technology's readiness for widespread deployment, raising critical questions about liability, regulatory oversight, and whether AI systems can safely navigate scenarios involving children's unpredictable behavior.
Waymo has evolved from Google's experimental self-driving project into the world's leading commercial robotaxi service, now providing over 150,000 paid rides weekly across four major American cities. This deep dive examines the technology, economics, and strategic challenges facing autonomous vehicles.
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