More from that article ...
... An admission by a Waymo executive during a U.S. Senate hearing has drawn renewed scrutiny to how autonomous vehicles operate when technology alone is not enough.
On Wednesday, Feb. 4, the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation convened a hearing on the safety and oversight of autonomous vehicles. Testimony included representatives from Tesla, the Autonomous Vehicle Industry Association and members of academia.
Also appearing was Dr. Mauricio Pea, chief safety officer at Waymo, the Alphabet-owned autonomous driving company.
During questioning, Sen. Ed Markey, a Massachusetts Democrat, asked what happens when a Waymo vehicle encounters a driving situation it cannot independently resolve.
"The Waymo phones a human friend for help," Markey explained, adding that the vehicle communicates with a "remote assistance operator."
Markey criticized the lack of public information about these workers, despite their role in vehicle safety.
Pea responded by clarifying the scope of the operators' involvement: "They provide guidance, they do not remotely drive the vehicles," Pea said.
"Waymo asks for guidance in certain situations and gets input, but Waymo is always in charge of the dynamic driving task," according to EVShift.
Pressed further on where those operators are located, Pea told lawmakers that some are based in the United States and others abroad, though he did not have an exact breakdown. After additional questioning, he confirmed that overseas operators are located in the Philippines....
Friggin' wow...
When a Waymo vehicle encounters a situation it may not understand (e.g., a school bus), it pings someone in the Philippines for advice?
