Waymo self-driving car ends up on train tracks in Phoenix as passenger flees

In Phoenix, Arizona, a Waymo self-driving vehicle accidentally drove onto light-rail train tracks. While the passenger safely exited the vehicle, the car continued moving along the tracks without human intervention, raising serious safety concerns about autonomous driving systems.

The incident was captured on video by bystanders, showing the Waymo vehicle traveling along the railway after the passenger had already left the car. With no human inside, there was no way to cancel the trip or override the vehicle’s behavior.

According to local media, the railway line was built only last year, which likely caused the autonomous system to misidentify it as a roadway. Such scenarios are a known weakness of self-driving navigation systems, particularly in rapidly expanding cities with ongoing construction and changing infrastructure layouts.

Waymo has faced several reputational challenges over the past year. Just before Christmas, robotaxi services in San Francisco were disrupted when vehicles stopped operating during a major power outage. In San Bruno, California, a Waymo vehicle was ticketed by police for making an illegal U-turn, and in May 2025 the company recalled approximately 1,200 cars following collisions with road barriers.

Although no injuries were reported, the incident highlights persistent risks associated with autonomous transportation. The lack of immediate human intervention in high-risk scenarios remains a critical challenge for the safe deployment of self-driving vehicles in urban environments.зиків Waymo з точки зору кібербезпеки