Waymo's self-driving taxi service can take passengers to their chosen destinations without a human driver in the vehicle. But in certain situations, humans are still needed, such as when San Francisco experienced a power outage and all traffic lights were out. The lack of human drivers to take over driving caused Waymo's service to be temporarily suspended in situations like this.
But Waymo's Chief Security Officer, Mauricio Peña, has revealed that the company is using foreign workers to provide driving assistance in the above situations. Waymo's robotexy will be driven remotely by operators in the United States and abroad, including in the Philippines.
Waymo's action received criticism from senator Ed Markey who asked why such a critical task is given to foreign workers. The issue of latency between monitored car operators also raises safety issues for passengers.
In addition, Waymo has also been criticized for using Chinese-made Zeekr cars for their latest robotexy, which is also alleged to pose a risk to national security. Electric vehicles (EVs) made in China are not allowed into the United States due to safety concerns and concerns that they threaten the local automotive industry.
The Philippines is now a popular choice for remote work, with workers being used to control robots that stock convenience stores in Japan and man hotel lobbies in California and New York. The lower cost of living is one reason why Filipino workers are a popular choice.
