Hannah Metzger
Audio By Carbonatix
Waymo’s about to officially launch in Denver soon, and readers remain split.
The autonomous, AI-powered vehicle service announced on July 8 that driverless rides will begin “in a matter of weeks” on a limited scale for employees, with a public expansion coming “soon” after.
Waymo’s vehicles have been driving around Denver since last year, when the company began mapping city roads and adjusting for winter conditions as human workers operated the cars. The public reaction has been mixed since the announcement, with objectors citing job displacement and other ethical issues caused by driverless vehicles while supporters point to lower crash rates under Waymo cars and reported cases of sexual violence by rideshare drivers.
And that’s not all Denver commuters are worried about. In Westword comment sections about the story, readers expressed frustration with the world’s growing reliance on AI and wondered how we’re supposed to “talk someone’s ear off” when a robot is driving. It wasn’t all angry pitchforks, though. Some people are still curious about how a driverless vehicle will handle winter roads, and other readers are excited about Waymo’s debut.
They didn’t really get a good winter to test these things out 👀
— Luis Lazo
This is a hard no. The list of reasons is endless. I wish we’d push back more against AI as a species.
— Stevie Taylor
Booooooooooooo!! Fuck Waymo!!! It’s going to be nothing but problematic!!! Especially in the fucking winter!!! Eat shit big brother!!! 🖕🏻🖕🏻🖕🏻🖕🏻🖕🏻🖕🏻🖕🏻🖕🏻🖕🏻
— Jeffrey Grubesic
Nobody in the comments has ever had a sketchy experience with a driver and it shows. Excited for this to be an option for those who want it.
— Dana Valletti
Hope to see the same efforts put towards autonomous public transportation! The new bus line on Colfax seems like a potential candidate.
— Steven James Jackson Meyers
Wtf? I’m trying to talk someone’s ear off. Fuck all that.
— Alejandro Loya
Better stay off the sidewalks
— Brian Parton
