San Franciscans are having babies in robotaxis, and nobody is talking about it.
A pregnant woman en route to a UCSF medical center gave birth inside one of the ubiquitous autonomous vehicles Monday night.
“We can confirm this is true, and the mother and baby came to our hospital,” said Jess Berthold, a UC San Francisco spokesperson. The mother was not available for comment.
According to Waymo, the company’s remote Rider Support team detected “unusual activity” inside the vehicle and initiated a call to check on the passenger. The team also contacted 911, though the robotaxi arrived at the hospital ahead of emergency services, Waymo said.
The vehicle was immediately removed from service for cleaning, which seems reasonable under the circumstances.
In a cheerful statement, a Waymo spokesperson said the company is “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 spokesperson continued, “and we look forward to safely getting them where they’re going through many of life’s events.”
As Waymos have become more prevalent, they have been involved in incidents at all points of the circle of life, from conception to expiration.
New parents have been known to ride home from the hospital in a Waymo with their newborns. The company confirmed this was not the first birth in one of its vehicles — it’s apparently happened in Phoenix too.
“While this is a very rare occurrence,” Waymo said, “some of our newest riders just can’t wait to experience their first Waymo ride.”
The incident raises philosophical questions that previous generations never had to consider: Does the baby get its own rider rating? Should the parents tip? And what, exactly, does a robotaxi think when a human being materializes in its back seat?
San Francisco, which has become a testing ground for autonomous vehicle technology, has now witnessed yet another milestone in the driverless revolution. The city’s robots can now officially handle rush-hour traffic, double-parking and, apparently, labor and delivery.
No word yet on whether the newborn will receive free-ride credits.
