Despite growing pains, autonomous robotaxi service hailed by disabled passengers
SAN FRANCISCO -- Autonomous robotaxis have come under a microscope after a series of mishaps, causing cars and even emergency vehicles to work around seemingly confused driverless vehicles. But one group is rooting for the services to not only continue but expand.
People with disabilities have found a uniquely positive avenue in the use of driverless vehicles: the removal of the human component.
For Paralympian Matt Scott, rideshares with human drivers have caused more harm than help.
"They pull up on me, they assess the situation, they see that I'm in a wheelchair, and then they decide before even communicating with me that that's too much for them to handle," he told CBS News Bay Area. "And then they speed off."
The multiple gold medal winner in wheelchair basketball says public transportation has come a long way for disabled riders, but like many other rideshare users a private option gives him more freedom and access, but only if the human driver allows it.
"Sometimes when I'm loading my chair up in other people's cars there they're either just overly watching me as if I'm gonna scratch up their car. It makes me feel very anxious," said Scott. "it makes me feel very uneasy."
The solution, he says, is the expansion of access to autonomous vehicles, in line with approval earlier this month by the California Public Utilities Commission to allow Cruise and Waymo to charge a fare for their rides at all hours.
On Thursday, city leaders made a public plea for the state to pause a recent expansion of driverless car services, citing dangerous incidents.
"We have filed an administrative motion called a motion to stay asking the California Public Utilities Commission to pause the immediate implementation of unlimited expansion of automated vehicles in San Francisco," said San Francisco City Attorney David Chiu.
Supervisor Aaron Peskin says not only have there been countless reports of autonomous vehicles making wrong turns or stalling in the middle of the road. There have also been several reports of the vehicles interfering with first responders.
"Firetrucks that have had to reposition themselves," said Peskin. "The day before yesterday a Cruise car went into a construction site and got stuck in our concrete that we were pouring. A cruise car that got stuck in downed electrical over-wire."
However, for passengers like Scott, the driverless vehicles are a welcome sight.
"It just rolls up. It doesn't judge me," Scott explained. "It sees where I'm going. It takes me there. I feel safe. I feel happy that I'm there and nobody's challenged me in the experience."
He's been using the ride service for free for about six months and says it's proven valuable enough that he'd be more than willing to pay a fare.
He can load himself and his wheelchair in a robotaxi hassle-free. The experience goes deeper than the travel from point A to point B.
"It means feeling accepted here. It means that I feel like I'm at home and it means that I feel like I'm not closed off from society," said Scott. "That means that there are advocates out there that are working towards me traveling independently and working towards things that I thought were only a dream."
Scott passes cars with drivers floored by the driverless vehicle, opening a new world of access and a boost of reassurance that without a human, he'll truly be treated like every other passenger.