Waymo robotaxis face new safety challenges in Munich

Waymo’s self-driving taxis could begin operating in Munich as early as next year, but experts warn that the city’s cyclists, weather and traffic conditions will present challenges not seen in the United States, BR reported.

The US company’s autonomous taxis are already operating in several American cities and are expected to come to Munich. At a taxi stand on Odeonsplatz, public opinion was mixed, with some people expressing concerns while others said they would use a driverless taxi.

Studies indicate lower accident rates

Waymo’s safety record has been examined in the United States. An institute funded by car insurers recently concluded that the company’s self-driving taxis were involved in 68 percent fewer accidents than human-driven cars in some US cities. Waymo itself cites even more favourable figures.

Markus Lienkamp, a professor of autonomous driving at the Technical University of Munich, described the results as impressive and said he considered the vehicles very safe. However, he cautioned that the findings might not transfer directly to Munich because traffic conditions are different.

Munich’s cyclists are one example. They have greater rights in traffic and vehicles must keep more distance from them, Lienkamp said. At the same time, cyclists can behave unpredictably, and autonomous vehicles cannot assume that they will always follow traffic rules.

Munich also has different weather conditions in winter from the often-sunny US cities where Waymo currently operates.

Testing will begin with safety driver

Waymo will not begin with fully autonomous operations. During an initial testing phase, a person will remain behind the wheel and be able to intervene at any time. The company also plans to collect data on traffic in Munich during this period.

Particularly difficult for autonomous driving are rare events that road users may encounter only once every 100,000 kilometres, Lienkamp said. The challenge is first identifying such situations; once they are known, they can often be addressed, he added.

Political support and technology concerns

Some politicians and public officials believe autonomous driving can succeed in Munich. The Munich Mobility Department expects it could significantly improve transport, particularly in outlying areas where conventional public transport would not be economically viable.

Christian Hirte, a parliamentary state secretary at the Federal Ministry for Transport, called autonomous driving the “key to the mobility of the future” in a press release. Bavaria’s economy minister, Aiwanger, wants robotaxis to be operating in the state during IAA Mobility 2027.

Lienkamp said he believed autonomous driving was technically achievable but warned of Germany’s dependence on foreign technology. By opening the market, Germany was giving away a technology it did not control, he said, describing this as extremely dangerous. German manufacturers are no longer among the world leaders in research into fully autonomous driving.