A pregnant woman in San Francisco gave birth Monday night in a Waymo robotaxis en route to UCSF Medical Center. It was the latest milestone in the self-driving car saga that no one expected, except for those who have been driving a rideshare vehicle for more than six months.
According to SF Standard, Waymo’s remote team detected “unusual activity” and called 911, but the vehicle defeated emergency services and was taken to the hospital.
It seems that some traditions cannot be destroyed. For decades, pregnant women have been battling biology in the backseats of taxis and Ubers from London to Los Angeles. There was a mother in India who named her son Uber after giving birth to him on the way to the hospital (the driver reportedly helped with the birth). In 2017, a California couple picked up their baby in an Uber during the Sabbath. “Everyone’s telling me to name my baby Uber,” the father joked, adding, “But we can’t do that.” (Oh, but I could have done that!)
The story goes on and on. Now, in Silicon Valley, the experience is at least partially automated.
The San Francisco vehicle was immediately removed for cleaning. Additionally, this wasn’t Waymo’s first birth. The company told the Standard that Phoenix’s baby was the first to be born. A Waymo spokesperson deadpanned: “While this is a very rare occurrence, some of our new riders can’t wait to ride Waymo for the first time.”
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