A pregnant woman delivered her baby inside a Waymo robotaxi in San Francisco on Monday night, marking a unique occurrence in the ongoing saga of autonomous vehicles. The woman was on her way to the UCSF Medical Center when she made an unusual stop. This event captured the public and media’s imagination and amplified the ongoing intersection between the world of technology and our daily lives.
The Waymo robotaxi cruising itself down the crowded streets of San Francisco. Yet this city was most famous for welcoming and accelerating driverless innovation. That was the vehicle meant to transport an expectant mother to dockyard, civilian hospital. Instead, it became one impromptu delivery room. After the birth, the vehicle was immediately taken out of service so they could give it a thorough cleaning.
This event, however extraordinary it may seem, is not unique. It’s not even the first time a baby has been born in a ride-sharing vehicle. In India, an impoverished mother named her son Uber after delivering on the way to the hospital. Just like our new California couple who had their baby in an Uber while observing Shabbat in 2017. Expectant mothers have given birth in taxis and Ubers for years. The new advent of autonomous rides just creates a whole new layer of interest on top of these narratives.
Waymo, the self-driving technology company, goes ever deeper into its autopilot-enabled taxi and ride-hailing services in Silicon Valley and soon elsewhere. The robotaxi operates without a human driver, relying on advanced technology to navigate urban environments.
“While this is a very rare occurrence, some of our newest riders just can’t wait to experience their first Waymo ride.” – Waymo spokesperson
This birth within a driverless vehicle highlights both the tremendous possibilities and peril that autonomous transportation systems behold. As technology advances, incidents like these raise questions about how society will adapt to new realities involving both healthcare and transportation.