Waymo honking robotaxis keep nighbourhood awake

Residents in San Francisco's South of Market neighborhood were kept awake at night thanks to repeated honking from Waymo's driverless cars, which have been using a nearby parking lot. 

Neighbours report that the honking has disrupted their sleep and daily routines, and is particularly intense around 4 am and during evening rush hours. 

Christopher Cherry, a local resident, noted that the honking escalated as more Waymo vehicles have begun to occupy the lot, leading to confusion among the cars as they navigate and attempt to park. Other residents, such as Randol White, echoed similar frustrations, stating they had been woken up multiple times at night, impacting their well-being and productivity.

Waymo acknowledged the issue, explaining that the honking is a feature designed to prevent low-speed collisions among the vehicles and warn human drivers and pedestrians of a vehicle’s presence. 

The company said that it had rolled out a software fix to stop the noise. However, the autonomous cars kept on honking until a second patch was applied.