Autonomous driving technology has progressed significantly over the past few years, but it is still very much a work in progress. However, several companies are willing to send fledgling driverless taxis out into the world to collect fares. Tesla quickly found out how unproven its Robotaxis are after violating traffic laws and prompting a federal investigation on the first day of service in Austin, Texas. Waymo, the driverless taxi operator with the most extensive network, doesn't have a spotless
record either.
What car would terrify you the most to see on the open road as a driverless taxi? We want to know which vehicles could send a shiver up your spine at first sight. A Waymo Jaguar startled onlookers in San Francisco last year after driving into an oncoming lane to avoid a pack of unicyclists. The incident, along with 21 others, also instigated a federal investigation. A Tesla Robotaxi had its own oncoming lane moment in Austin. They can sow chaos at a moment's notice.
Read more: These Are The Most Forgettable Cars
I Can't Wait For One-Off Promotional Robotaxis
No driverless taxi rolled off an assembly line ready for service. They are fitted with additional cameras and sensors, so theoretically, any car could be a robotaxi with the right equipment. It would be a head-turning move if a service transformed an exotic car into a robotaxi. Uber has done similar promotional stunts in the past. In 2014, Deadmau5 gave rides in his McLaren 650S. Could you imagine a service rolling out a one-off, driverless Aston Martin Vanquish to promote the next James Bond movie?
The current quartet of operators has its fleet set. Waymo is between cars as it prepares to phase out the Jaguar I-Pace for the Zeekr RT minivan. Tesla's Robotaxi service is using modified Model Y crossovers. Zoox has its bespoke, futuristic quadcycle pods that look like they were stolen from a nearby airport transit system. Uber is buying 26,000 Lucid Gravity SUVs for its upcoming robotaxi service. Please leave your suggestions for terrifying robotaxis in the comments below.
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