A cruising robot taxi caused a traffic jam in Austin, Texas. A company representative said that “pedestrian and vehicle traffic on the street was heavy.”
Approximately 20 autonomous taxis operated by General Motors Cruise business unit caused a traffic jam on San Gabriel Street in Austin, Texas, prompting residents to speak out on social media.
Images and videos posted on X (formerly Twitter) show a small fleet of self-driving Chevrolet Bolt EVs driving at very slow speeds with their hazard lights on, some of which have somehow managed to turn around and collide with each other.
In a statement sent to The Drive, a Cruise spokesperson hinted that a large number of pedestrians and vehicles caused the robot taxi to break down, but footage taken at the scene shows that there are not really that many people around the cars.
in a way I feel privileged to have watched this unfold bc of how funny it was to see the cruise workers try to remotely control the cars
– Nico🛵 (@pradnico) September 18, 2023
“The traffic on the street was heavy,” a Cruise spokesperson told The Drive. “Our cars are designed for safety first and foremost – and that includes being careful around pedestrians.”
All Cruise AVs are remotely monitored, and the vehicles involved in this latest incident eventually left the area on their own, according to the spokesperson, who added that the company was alerted to the crowds on San Gabriel Street in Austin on Sunday and that technicians were able to resolve the issue.
