Self-Driving · September 2026Gaffe level: Blunder
Empty Waymo Stalls in Front of an Austin Fire Truck and Won't Budge
An empty Waymo SUV blocked an Austin fire engine on its way to a hotel call on September 14, inching toward the blaring truck instead of yielding and leaving firefighters stuck behind a confused robot. Waymo says the car paused briefly before backing up, but Austin officials call it another entry in a growing series of robotaxis-versus-first-responders encounters.
Source: MotorBiscuit
SkyFall's StarGate Drone Evacuated Two Wounded Soldiers From the Front Line
Ukraine's 475th Separate Assault Regiment says it used the purpose-built StarGate drone to evacuate two seriously wounded soldiers in the space of a week, flying one casualty nearly 20 miles to reach him and about the same distance back. Ground vehicles could not reach the men because of water obstacles and attack-drone threats, and the covered, medical-grade stretcher module kept each casualty protected in flight. The regiment now plans a dedicated aerial medical evacuation unit, turning one-off rescues into a repeatable capability.
Source: The War Zone