Some traditions, it seems, are immune to disruption.
That’s a classic and humorous take! Indeed, the tradition of babies arriving before their intended destination is alive and well, even in the age of autonomous vehicles.
The incident you’re referring to involves a woman in San Francisco who gave birth inside a Waymo robotaxi while on her way to the UCSF Medical Center.
Here are the key details of this modern-day roadside delivery:
Birth in the Robotaxi
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The Setting: A Waymo autonomous vehicle (with no human driver) in San Francisco.
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The Alert: Waymo’s remote Rider Support team detected “unusual activity” inside the vehicle via the internal cameras/sensors.
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The Response: The team initiated a call to check on the passenger and then immediately called 911.
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The Arrival: The mother successfully delivered her baby in the back seat and the Waymo safely continued its route, arriving at the hospital ahead of emergency services.
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The Outcome: Both the mother and the baby were reported to be healthy and were taken into the UCSF Medical Center for care.
Not the First Time
This incident, while being the first widely publicized birth in a fully driverless taxi, is reportedly not the first time a baby has been born in a Waymo vehicle. The company has confirmed that it has happened previously in its other operating city, Phoenix.
Waymo’s tongue-in-cheek response was: “We’re proud to be a trusted ride for moments big and small, serving riders from just seconds old to many years young. We wish the new family all the best…”
The vehicle was, naturally, promptly taken out of service for a thorough cleaning.
This story highlights how autonomous vehicles are quickly integrating into our daily lives, becoming the unexpected setting for deeply human events—including the beginning of life.