Waymo is pushing back against questions from Congress about its use of remote workers, insisting that its “remote assistance personnel” do not actually drive or control its robotaxis. The self-driving car company is trying to clear up confusion and address growing concerns about safety and national security.
The issue was raised by Democratic Senator Ed Markey and Republican Representative Buddy Carter, who were worried about Waymo’s use of remote workers, including some based in the Philippines. Carter even asked the Department of Transportation to launch an investigation, saying the practice “raises serious and reasonable concerns about roadway safety, situational awareness, and national security.”
In a letter to Senator Markey, Waymo explained that its remote workers are there to provide “advice and support” to the cars, not to drive them. When a Waymo robotaxi encounters a confusing situation, like a tricky construction zone, its computer can ask for help from a human. The remote worker can then suggest a course of action, but the car’s onboard computer makes the final decision and can even reject the human’s advice if it thinks it’s unsafe.
“This distinction is fundamental to our safety model,” Waymo said, stressing that the car’s own system is always “the primary, real-time authority for safe operation.”
Waymo did say that in very rare situations, a special U.S.-based team can tell a stopped car to move forward a few feet at a very slow speed, but that this has never actually happened outside of training exercises. The company operates four remote assistance centers, two in the U.S. and two in the Philippines, with about 70 people working at any given time.
