A recent ride in a Waymo autonomous taxi, owned by Google's parent company, Alphabet, devolved into a "funny, frustrating and terrifying" experience. The vehicle repeatedly steered into wrong lanes, forcing passengers to intervene and exit the ride prematurely.

The author described the Waymo's behavior as "headstrong and resistant to parental intervention," suggesting that the autonomous technology, while ambitious, is not yet reliable enough for widespread public use. The incident highlights concerns about the readiness of autonomous taxi services to handle real-world driving scenarios.

This experience with Waymo underscores the ongoing challenges in developing and deploying fully autonomous vehicles. The company's technology, despite significant investment and progress, demonstrated critical flaws during the short journey, raising questions about its safety and dependability for everyday transportation.