A TikTok user identified as Lucia Molina recorded a video showing the aftermath of an accident involving a Waymo robotaxi and an 18-wheeler truck.
“I don’t think Waymos are made for Houston drivers,” Molina wrote in the video caption. She did not provide details about the cause of the crash, but it appeared that the Waymo vehicle was changing lanes before being struck by the truck.
Molina only noted that traffic in the area was slower than usual. “It took me 30 minutes to travel about 3 kilometers.”
In a statement to Motor1, Waymo provided more details about the collision.
“An autonomous vehicle with a specialist behind the wheel was driving in Houston when it moved into the left lane of a roadway, and a semi-truck struck the rear bumper and became lodged underneath the Waymo vehicle.”
The statement says the truck was able to disengage from the vehicle and that no one was injured. The company has only recently begun testing operations in the area.
Access is still limited, with users joining through the app and being invited as the service expands.
The incident led internet users to question the need for the service on high-speed roads.
“Houston is probably the worst place to have Waymos,” one woman said. “I rode in a Waymo in Austin without any problems. But I would never do that in Houston,” another commented.
Source and images: TikTok @lmolina2384 | Wikimedia Commons. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
@lmolina2384 Took me 30 mins to get like 2 miles #waymo #houston #houstondrivers #wreck #waymofail ♬ Just Keep Watching (From F1® The Movie) – Tate McRae
