The sounds of a bustling city at night are familiar: traffic, sirens, barking dogs. But for residents of San Francisco’s South of Market neighborhood, a new noise has joined the chorus: the incessant honking of driverless cars.
These autonomous vehicles, operated by Waymo, a leading self-driving technology company, have been a presence in San Francisco for years, recently expanding their presence with a trial ridesharing service. The issue, however, began a few weeks ago when Waymo started utilizing a parking lot in the South of Market area for its fleet.
The Honking Dilemma
Residents report a steady escalation of noise. “We started out with a couple of honks here and there,” explained Christopher Cherry, a local resident, in an interview with NBC Bay Area News. And then as more and more cars started to arrive, the situation got worse.” The honking, according to Cherry, peaks around 4 a.m. and during evening rush hour, disrupting sleep and concentration alike. “It’s very distracting during the workday,” Cherry stated, “but most importantly, it wakes you up at four in the morning.”
Videos taken by residents reveal the apparent trigger: a Waymo car reversing into a parking space within the lot. This maneuver, for reasons unknown, seems to set off a chain reaction of honking from other nearby Waymo vehicles. The absurdity of the situation, as Cherry points out, lies in the fact that these are robotic vehicles, with no human occupants to explain or control the honking.
Residents’ Frustration and Waymo’s Response
The lack of a readily available contact person to report the issue further compounded residents’ frustration. While there’s no one inside the cars to address the problem directly, Cherry confirmed he contacted Waymo regarding the disruptive noise. Another resident echoed the sentiment, describing the situation as “frustrating” due to the difficulty in reporting the problem.
Waymo has acknowledged the issue, stating they are aware that “in some scenarios” their robocars “may briefly honk while navigating our parking lots.” The company assures residents that they have “identified the cause and is in the process of implementing a fix.”
Awaiting a Quieter Future
While Waymo works on a solution, residents of South of Market await a return to quieter nights. The incident highlights the unexpected challenges that can arise as autonomous vehicle technology integrates into urban environments. Hopefully, the fix will arrive soon, allowing residents to once again sleep undisturbed by the phantom honks of driverless cars. Perhaps then, the only remaining nighttime noises will be the more traditional city sounds of traffic, sirens, and the occasional barking dog.
