Robotaxi Firms Remain Silent on Frequency of Remote Operator Interventions
Autonomous vehicle companies are keeping tight-lipped about their remote assistance teams, particularly regarding how often these workers step in to assist self-driving cars. Senator Ed Markey (D-MA) has pressed robotaxi firms to share this information as part of an investigation into the role of remote assistance operators (RAOs). His office reached out to seven companies—Aurora, May Mobility, Motional, Nuro, Tesla, Waymo, and Amazon’s Zoox—seeking insights into how remote workers monitor driverless vehicles and intervene when necessary. The findings from their responses are outlined in a report.
This investigation follows a February hearing where Markey questioned representatives from Waymo and Tesla about their use of remote assistance. During the session, Waymo’s chief safety officer disclosed that some remote agents are located in the Philippines. There have also been several safety incidents involving remote agents, including one in Austin, Texas, where a Waymo vehicle ignored a school bus with an extended stop sign due to incorrect guidance from a remote assistant.
Markey emphasizes the need for stringent regulations regarding remote assistance. However, robotaxi companies defend their use of remote agents, claiming they serve as a crucial safety net for the technology managing the driverless vehicles.
The companies provided intriguing insights into their remote worker practices. Notably, Waymo is the only company employing remote agents from overseas, and it has a significant number of workers without U.S. driver’s licenses. Waymo stated that its remote staff in the Philippines must possess valid driver’s licenses from that country.
Tesla’s approach to remote operators was also clarified. Last year, Tesla initiated a limited robotaxi pilot in Austin, but unlike Waymo, most of its vehicles still have safety drivers in the front seat. In response to Markey’s inquiries, Tesla admitted to occasionally using remote workers to operate vehicles at speeds up to 10 mph. In contrast, Waymo indicated that its remote agents can prompt vehicle movement at 2 mph but do not have direct control.
“[Remote assistance operator] direct input is the last resort and is always limited in scope and duration,” stated Karen Steakley, Tesla’s director of public policy and business development, in her response to the senator. “This capability allows Tesla to quickly reposition a vehicle that may be in a precarious situation, reducing the need to wait for a first responder or Tesla field representative to manually recover the vehicle.”
Tensions surrounding remote assistance for robotaxis have been escalating recently. Markey criticized the companies’ reluctance to disclose the number of remote interventions, labeling it a “stunning lack of transparency” and suggesting that regulatory changes are necessary to ensure safe operations.
