A woman delivers her baby inside a Waymo self-driving taxi while heading to a San Francisco hospital, an unusual incident the company confirmed this week.
The autonomous vehicle completed the trip before first responders arrived, even after Waymo’s remote Rider Support team detected irregular activity and notified emergency services.
The birth marks one of the first documented medical emergencies to occur inside a fully driverless taxi, a scenario tech companies have long planned for as autonomous vehicles become more widely used.
Waymo says the car continued operating normally along its route, and the system alerted staff when sensors detected unexpected movement inside the cabin.
The company did not release identifying details about the passenger, but officials noted that the mother and newborn were transported into the hospital upon arrival. The incident underscores the real-world challenges and unpredictable situations autonomous vehicles can encounter as they expand into major urban markets.
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