Neighbors living near a Waymo parking lot in SoMa said the robotaxis are still waking them up in the early hours of the morning with loud honking, despite the autonomous vehicle company reporting it had fixed the issue with a software update on Aug. 13.
According to NBC Bay Area, Waymo cars began using the lot on Second Street near Harrison Street as a rest stop between rides several weeks ago.
The issue stems from a safety feature designed to prevent low-speed collisions.
“We’ve updated the software, so our electric vehicles should keep the noise down for our neighbors moving forward,” a Waymo spokesperson told The Standard on Aug. 13.
However, after deploying the software update, neighbors still reported being awakened by vehicle noise, including an episode around 5 a.m. Sunday that disturbed several residents’ peaceful slumber. Waymo did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the honking issue Monday morning.
One resident, Sophia Tung, set up a camera from a window in early August to capture the cars’ presence on a YouTube livestream, calling it “LoFi Waymo Hip Hop Radio Self Driving Taxi Depot Shenanigans To Relax/Study To.”
“Them Waymos be wildin’ sometimes,” Tung joked in the stream’s description. “Waymo if you see this I’d love some lifetime free rides ;D”
While Tung, a software engineer, appreciates the innovative transportation that Waymo offers, she hopes that the quality-of-life issue unfolding outside her window gets resolved soon.
“As a resident, it’s frustrating. I hear from my neighbors — they are frustrated too,” Tung told The Standard by phone on Monday. “There’s always a celebration when we go a night without honking and a crash of emotions when there is [honking].”
Tung will host an interview with Waymo product director Vishay Nihalani at 2:30 p.m. Monday.
Waymo has ramped up its robotaxi services this year, removing its waitlist to allow anyone to hail a ride in San Francisco. Earlier this summer, it expanded beyond San Francisco proper to Daly City, Broadmoor and Colma, though it could be years before the company gets permission to ferry passengers to and from San Francisco International Airport.