Waymo’s Safety Officer Faces Senate Scrutiny
Waymo’s chief safety officer, Mauricio Peña, was evasive when questioned about the company’s reliance on foreign operators. U.S. senators, particularly Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.), challenged Peña during a recent hearing regarding whether Waymo utilizes overseas employees to aid driverless taxis in challenging driving situations.
During the hearing, Markey raised a crucial point: “It’s one thing when taxis are replaced by Uber and Lyft. It’s another thing when jobs go entirely overseas.” Peña’s responses were closely monitored online.
In his defense, Peña stated, “Senator, they’re giving guidance. They don’t drive vehicles remotely.” He clarified that while Waymo uses external input in certain circumstances, the autonomous vehicles are still responsible for their driving tasks.
Markey pressed for further clarity, asking, “But humans help vehicles navigate such difficult driving scenarios. Is that correct?” to which Peña replied, “Yes.”
He then acknowledged that some of those remote agents operate from the Philippines but could not provide specific numbers regarding their employment. “I don’t have that number,” Peña admitted.
Senator Markey expressed that this revelation was “pretty shocking,” labeling it “totally unacceptable” for workers abroad to influence American vehicles. He highlighted potential safety risks such as outdated data and a lack of familiarity with U.S. road rules.
Markey emphasized that Waymo is already displacing American taxi and rideshare drivers, and outsourcing these roles adds to the concern, saying, “It’s one thing to have taxis replaced by Uber or Lyft; it’s another thing to have jobs completely offshored.”
Waymo has sought to clarify the role of remote operators, stating they do not consider them drivers. A spokesperson added that these remote agents respond to guidelines rather than controlling the vehicles directly, emphasizing that all driving decisions occur within the vehicle itself.
Moreover, the company maintains that both domestic and international response agents are trained and licensed for their specific regions. The spokesperson explained that the assistance from humans is merely situational input rather than direct instructions for driving decisions.
Addressing the employment of overseas operators, Waymo stated that engaging individuals in the Philippines aims to support global expansion efforts. These agents go through regular performance evaluations, yet specifics regarding the number of remote operators both domestically and internationally remain undisclosed.
