A viral TikTok video showed a simple way to bring self-driving taxis—Cruise and Waymo's robotaxis—to a halt, merely by placing an orange traffic cone on their hood. This unconventional prank has been causing quite a stir, garnering millions of views and compelled responses from both Cruise and Waymo.

Although the claim seemed implausible, both companies did not directly deny it; instead, they both issued perturbed statements against this disruptive act. Cruise delineated the important role their service plays in the community, hinting that the trajectory of an orange cone might indeed hinder their operations.

Meanwhile, these pranks have sparked discussions on ethical contradictions: opponents of the robotaxis, who criticize the autonomous vehicles for blocking traffic, are doing the same by their renegade deployment of traffic cones. This exposes a possible flaw in the design or programming of these robotaxis that could potentially be exploited in the future.

The 'orange cone liberation front' has brought attention to the upcoming California Public Utilities Commission meeting, where both Cruise and Waymo will lobby for expansion of their operations. However, the commission might consider several pitfalls of the robotaxi services, like traffic disruptions, interference with emergency workers, and sudden idling issues, as more impactful to their decision. Continue Reading The Full Story on SFist -->

Image: @SafeStreetRebel via Twitter